Halo: Elemental Storm
by Asgardian Dovahkiin
Summary: Sequel to Ancient Elements. Several months have passed since the awakening of the Didact and the attack on Earth, Avatar Korra tries to adjust to what is to come, both from the growing presence of the UNSC and from the evil that comes from beyond. Rating is a subject to change.
1. Back to Basics

**UNSC Infinity, Earth's Orbit**

* * *

><p>Several pelicans made landed inside the Infinity's hangar, naval personnel and many marines hopped out of them. The Infinity was getting new arsenals, technicians and defense personnel after the Didact Event. Out of one pelican came out a squadron of new SPARTAN-IVs, it was the newly established Fireteam Majestic, and alongside them were Fireteams Lancer and Crimson.<p>

"Look at this ship." Paul DeMarco said being amazed by the sheer size of the Infinity's hangar.

"Yeah, it's big." Tedra Grant replied.

"I've seen bigger." Carlo Hoya said laughing at his remark, Grant just sighed at Hoya's immatureness. Behind them were Spartans Gabriel Thorne and Anthony Madsen.

"Hey Throne, you heard about the reports that the Forerunner planet that the Infinity discovered a few months back has humans inhabiting it?" Madsen asked his teammate.

"Yeah, reports say that they most of them have powers and stuff." Thorne replied. While they walked towards the Spartan-IV armory, they were met with Commander Sarah Palmer, commanding Spartan of the Infinity, she was currently off and unarmored.

"Well well." DeMarco said checking her out; he obviously had no idea who she was.

"I bet you fifty credits that you can't hit that." Hoya dared his squad leader.

"Fifty credits it is." DeMarco responded, he walked towards Palmer who was speaking with some members of Fireteam Lancer.

"Hey babe, what's your name?" DeMarco asked the commander, Palmer just smirked at the poor excuse for a pick up line.

"My name is Commander Sarah Palmer, commanding officer of the Spartan contingent of the UNSC Infinity." Immediately DeMarco saluted and began to yell at himself inside his head, Palmer called on the others of Fireteam Majestic.

"Commander." They all saluted.

"At ease." Palmer ordered. "I expect that you all don't act so straightforward as your fearless leader here, here's your mission details."

Palmer handed DeMarco a datapad containing the team's mission briefing. "A mission already?" Madsen asked.

"Yeah, straight from the Captain, get used to it. Welcome to the Infinity." Palmer responded walking away.

"I think you owe me, my fearless leader." Hoya said to DeMarco.

"Yeah whatever."

* * *

><p><strong>SPARTAN IV Armory<strong>

"So what are the details of the next assignment, DeMarco?" Grant asked while the armory machine was assembling their MJOLNIR Gen-2 Armors on them.

"Apparently were a going back to the planet that the Infinity discovered a few months ago, our job is to escort a group of civilians as we establish a base on the planet." DeMarco told his teammates.

"A babysitting op?" Hoya remarked.

"You gotta love those." Madsen said.

Thorne was being outfitted a Recruit-variant MJOLNIR armor; he was the newest member of Fireteam Majestic, just having signed up after the Didact Event. He still had a lot to learn about being a Spartan but he had some experienced, the contingent demanded it.

They were fully armored now and were awaiting their turn. "Who are these VIPs anyway?" Grant asked again.

"Group of teenagers it seems and one of them is called the Avatar."

* * *

><p><em><strong>HALO: Elemental Storm<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

Avatar Korra strolled by the halls of the UNSC Infinity, it had been months since she left her world and things were getting a little…heavy. After the whole battle against the Didact, she and the Master Chief were called for debriefing. The Chief was ordered to descent down to Earth and be debriefed personally by Lord Hood and HIGHCOM.

Korra wasn't so lucky; a group of ONI spooks boarded the Infinity and questioned Korra and her friends, separately of course. They were the scariest group of people that Korra had ever seen; the questioning room was dark with only a lamp giving light to the compact room. Korra could only see the interrogator's hands and chin. He asked a series of heavy questions, everything to where she was born, her world's cultures, secrets and many other things, especially her role in the supernatural and politics.

After that, the scientists came in. They began testing Korra and her friends' bodies, putting strange devices on their skins and scanning them. Bolin was probed…Korra didn't even want to imagine that.

It was night, well that's what the clock said, and Korra couldn't sleep. She strolled alone within the empty metal halls, she reflected on the past year. To only think that she had gone to Republic City to learn airbending and after some weeks of staying there…bam! An entire Covenant fleet crashes into the city and the Master Chief appears. Then the Didact, the Forerunners and the Flood…it was all too much to take in, Korra didn't understand how she had acted throughout it all.

"Can't sleep?" Korra saw that she had arrive to her designated quarters, there Mako had come out of the bathroom. She and her friends shared a whole hall with the restroom being in between Mako and Bolin's rooms.

"Yeah." Korra replied. "We're going back home."

"Yeah." Mako responded. They looked at each other for some time; Korra still had no idea how to handle a relationship so she did the first thing in her mind.

"I really have to sleep, good night." She quickly said entering her room and closing the door. Mako smirked and went back to his room.

It was morning and someone was knocking on Korra's door, she yawned and looked at the clock on the wall. It was 6:00 AM…"Ugh…" Korra still hated mornings. She came out of bed and went for the door.

"Uh…" An armored giant stood in front of her. It was Spartan Thorne of Majestic Squad.

"I've been ordered to be your personal escort for the next mission and was told that since I'm being your bodyguard I would come down to say hello." Thorne said, he was quite surprised to see who the Avatar was. He expected some kind of bald kid that knew spiritual or political stuff, what he got was a…well, in Thorne's mind was a quite well toned young woman.

"Then you could've done it later, it's too early." Korra responded still grumpy of being woken up too early.

"Sorry, we Spartans rise up at four in the morning and practice War Games until six and then we do our regular duties." Thorne explained. "We are going to exit slipspace in a couple of hours…I'll be waiting in the mess hall."

"Okay…see you then." Korra responded in between yawns, she closed the door again and went back to sleep.

Thorne walked back to the mess hall when he was met with his friend Spartan Madsen.

"Got a good look on her, not too shabby eh Thorne?" Madsen asked while elbowing Throne a little.

"Is sex everything you guys think all day?"

"Of course not, there are guns, bullets, my beautiful armor and the Covies we're going to squash." Madsen responded with enthusiasm. Thorne just shook his head at his teammate's silliness.

The mess hall was packed with the new Marines and ODSTs that the Infinity had been re-supplied with. They were getting their morning meal; some Spartans were already munching and called Thorne and Madsen to seat with them.

"Sup guys?" DeMarco welcomed them.

"Nothing much, except that Thorne is hitting the big leagues." Madsen responded.

"Leave him alone, he has enough dealing with Hoya here messing with his ordnance during the last War Game." Grant said, remembering the red vs. blue War Game they played earlier in the morning.

While practicing with Fireteam Crimson, Hoya had messed with the systems of the operation and had made that all of Thorne's ordnance went to him. "Hey at least we tied, I carried this team." Hoya defended his actions.

"Ah don't listen to these Neanderthals, if you ever want to know anything on the ladies just talk with me, as a friend and as squad leader." DeMarco said while putting a hand on Thorne's shoulder.

"Like you know anything about us." Grant stated. "Just ask the Commander."

"Hey that didn't count."

"The fifty credits you still owe me count." Hoya said laughing. Thorne sighed, and he thought that Spartans were at least more different than the Army troopers he had been with before.

Korra and the others woke up and readied themselves, the Infinity personnel had given them UNSC standard clothes, not too different from the stuff that the Marines had to wear but Korra decided to keep her armband and wristbands and ponytails while Mako kept his scarf.

Reasons were that they stood out too much from the rest of the people inside the ship and that would attract…too much attention. Naval intelligence thought so.

They entered the mess hall, it wasn't as packed as before, but there was at least some ODSTs chatting in the corner table and some Spartans looking at their War Games records in another. "So…those are our escorts?" Asami asked.

"I want the big guy!" Bolin said pointing at Hoya was sleeping on the table.

"Well let's go get introduced." Mako said, Thorne turned noticing footsteps coming towards them. It was one of the gifts of becoming a Spartan, enhanced hearing.

"Attention Fireteam Majestic." DeMarco said, waking Hoya up and getting the other's attention. "These are the VIPs."

The Infinity exited slipspace and immediately rammed a unsuspecting Storm Covenant CCS-battlecruiser, shattering it to pieces.

"We got several cruisers orbiting the planet." One of the naval bridge operators said. Captain Lasky could've sworn that these guys had been obliterated by the Arbiter's fleet long ago.

"What's the situation?" He asked.

"They're retreating but they already have troops planetside, near the base site."

"Roland." Lasky said, an AI dressed as a World War I plane pilot appeared on the holo map in the center of the bridge.

"Yessir?"

"Get me on word with Commander Palmer."

"On it." Then Commander Palmer came on screen.

"Orders sir?" She asked.

"Get your troops ready Sarah, there are Covie ground units near the base site."

"Finally, we are on it. Fireteams Crimson, Lancer, Castle and Majestic will be on route."


	2. Rebel Spirit

**Xi Huang, United Republic**

* * *

><p>Xi Huang, an old village populated mostly by descendants of those who colonized the coast for the Fire Nation long ago. It was small, for the most part intact after the Covenant invasion months ago. The UNSC had established a forward operations base close to the village, codenamed: Galileo.<p>

It was being attacked by Storm Covenant units that had made landfall a couple of hours ago, these bastards were not going to stop until they had recovered their lost war god's world. Fireteams Majestic, Crimson, Lancer. Castle and Red were sent to deal with the Covenant problem.

"Alright team, we are proceeding into the village and clear out any inhuman son of a bitch dumb enough to get between us and Galileo base. Do whatever is necessary to save any civilians, understood?" DeMarco said.

"Sir yes sir!" The rest acknowledged. The pelican touched down.

"You four, stay behind us." DeMarco told Korra and her friends. "And don't do anything stupid."

Korra sighed and nodded, they stepped out of the dropship and into the streets of Xi Huang. Covenant units had already made turret placements on top of some of the buildings of the village. Majestic fired at them, bringing down the Grunts manning the turrets.

"Hoya, on your six!" Thorne yelled, Hoya turned to avoid an energy sword slash. An Elite warrior roared, charging towards the Spartan-IV. Thinking fast, Hoya ducked down and kicked the Elite on its legs making it fall on the ground.

Taking his chance, he used his SAW machine gun to fire at the Elite, its shields flashed and burst! Hoya then broke its neck with a stomp. Madsen and Grant found several survivors hidden in their homes and took them to safety. The people gazed upon them as if they were living gods that had come from the Spirit World itself.

"Town is secure; we should join the others on Galileo base." Madsen said.

"Understood, let's go Spartans!" DeMarco said leading the others towards the base on the hill outside the town.

"The four of you should stay back here; it's going to be dangerous up there." Thorne told them.

"Uh no way, we were in worse." Bolin responded.

"Yeah, we will help you and you have to stay with me anyway." Korra added, Thorne grunted from their teenage attitude but nevertheless, he had just got out of his own teenage years.

"Fine, follow me."

Majestic arrived to the base's outer walls, there Fireteam Red were taking cover from incoming plasma fire.

"Alright men, prepare to receive your orders." The squad leader said, he wielded a shotgun and red MJOLNIR armor and had a gruff drill sergeant like voice. "Jonas, scream like a woman."

"Caaaaaaaaan do." Spartan Jonas, with his absurd 'light red' armor said. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Geoff!"

"What?"

"Prepare to sacrifice yourself to save a nearby superior officer." The squad leader ordered.

"I don't think I've been trained on that." Spartan Geoff replied, he was a little bit more overweight than the other Spartans and his armor was orange instead of red.

"Gustavo, kiss ass at will." The squad leader ordered the other Spartan who wielded a Battle Rifle.

"You're both an excellent leader and a handsome man, sir!" Spartan Gustavo happily obliged.

"Excellent work Gustavo! Incoming." They all ducked from an incoming fuel rod shot. Spartan Jonas was still running around screaming…well like a woman…yes.

"Geoff, you're up." The squad leader said.

"Permission to assist Jonas, sir." Geoff asked.

"Permission denied, we will need you for Operation Meat-Shield. Remember, just because your bones are broken it doesn't mean they won't stop plasma from hitting me!" The squad leader responded. "Now get out there!"

"Good call sir!" Gustavo congratulated his 'fearless' leader.

"You're on your way to a medal Gustavo! In fact, medals all the way around. A purple heart for Geoff, a pink heart for Jonas and a brown nose for Gustavo." The squad leader said.

"Oh god…these guys." Hoyas said recognizing them.

"Just focus on securing the base." DeMarco told his fireteam.

"What's wrong with these guys?" Korra asked Throne.

"Well, let's just say that they give Spartans a bad name." Thorne replied. Majestic joined them and began to take control of the situation.

"Listen you dumbasses, secure this location while we help Lancer and Crimson gets this base secure understood?" DeMarco told them.

"Sounds fine with me." Geoff said.

"Grr…fine, just leave some for us." The squad leader replied. "Men proceed to plan Alpha 234!"

"On it sir!" Jonas said, shooting Geoff on the foot.

"Ow!"

"You were supposed to shoot him in the leg Jonas!"

The entirety of Majestic sighed and proceeded into the complex. Once inside there were multiple of dead scientists and Marines. Fighting had intensified; they proceeded until they found Covie bodies. It seemed that while Fireteam Red was outside being the target of the Covenant units inside the Marines had entered and had given them a real slugfest, but both parties killed each other. Which was odd since it had been sudden…and quite brutal considering it was a firefight.

"Looks like your guys were through here." Mako said.

"Yeah." Thorne responded looking around. "Sir where are Lancer and Crimson?"

"Radio's not working in here, must be some kind of interference." DeMarco responded. Korra then felt something in the back of her head, like a small sting.

"What the hell?" Hoya said with a surprised voice, there was a down Banshee in the courtyard. It was on fire, probably from the plasma escaping the fuel tanks.

"Rocket damage?" Madsen asked his teammate.

"No…more like something just swapped it out of the sky." Hoya replied. "Like a big tentacle or something, look at the dents on this thing."

"Tentacle monsters? What the heck?" Madsen said.

"You kidding me Hoya?" DeMarco responded.

"No sir…" But before Hoya could explain gunfire was heard coming towards them. Thorne told Korra and the others to get to cover while they got ready for trouble. From the north passage of the complex came running Fireteam Lancer…or what was left of them.

"Lancer!" DeMarco yelled.

One of the Spartans from Lancer was badly injured, his MJOLNIR armor was all messed up and his visor broken.

"What the hell happened?" DeMarco asked the shaking soldier.

"Monsters…nothing…it was horrible!" The Spartan responded.

"What was it? Covenant? Prometheans?"

"Worse! Game over man! Game over!" The Spartan-IV kept screaming. From the way he came running from, a series of shrieks could be heard.

"Doesn't sound like aliens and robots to me." Thorne said.

"Grant, Hoya, cover that entrance. Thorne and Madsen, protect the VIPs. You, where are Crimson and Castle?" DeMarco asked the still shaking Spartan.

"We lost contact with…Crimson after clearing out…the Covenant from the west wing…and Castle…Castle…they were massacred! Oh god…Jesus…they were ripped to pieces and so were my men!"

"What could do that to a Spartan!?" Asami asked. Then the grunts and shrieks coming from the north corridors intensified.

"Fire!" DeMarco screamed as a massive being came…flying out of the corridors and into them. Majestic fired, hitting the beast with a hail of bullets.

It yelled with a screeching sound that could tear someone's very soul. Korra then felt and intense white noise inside her head, it was happening again. But this wasn't the Didact or her past lives trying to contact her…

The beast grabbed Hoya and threw him into the metal walls, breaking his shields. "Agh!"

Then the beast went for DeMarco and the Lancer Spartan, it grabbed the shook Spartan, it opened its maw and with it decapitated the Spartan.

"Oh no…" Bolin said as they watched the carnage.

"We can't stay in here let's go!" Mako jumped out of cover and ran towards the beast blasting fireballs at it.

"Stay in cover!" Thorne yelled, but they didn't listen. But Korra was grabbing her head, the noise getting higher and higher. "You okay!?"

"This…this thing…it's a spirit!" Korra responded.

"A what?!" Madsen replied, the mad spirit threw the headless Spartan's body away and re-started its attack. Bolin bend the rocks on the ground and threw them at it while Asami grabbed the down Spartan's Assault Rifle and fired.

Mako kept throwing a mixture of fire and lightning attacks. Korra focused, she couldn't allow this thing to kill everyone. She tapped into her enhanced Avatar State. Her eyes became white and the air became heavy.

"What's going on?!" Grant yelled while ducking from the tentacles of the monster.

"It's the girl!" DeMarco responded, Korra ripped the metals from the walls of the complex, and threw them at the beast. It yelled, Korra in her super Avatar State grunted and began to intensify the air.

"She's making a hurricane in here!" Madsen yelled.

"Take cover!" Thorne yelled, they all, including Mako, Asami and Bolin, jumped behind the columns of the complex. Korra combined all of the elements into one ball of energy and blasted the beast with it.

The spirit screamed, moving closer to her. Korra made the gravity around it heavier, trying to stop it but to no avail. It grabbed her and swung her like a ragdoll and then threw her away. Before she crashed into something, Thorne ran towards her and catch her midfall.

"Oww…" Korra said while grabbing her head.

"I got you but…" Thorne tried to say but then the beast had disappeared. Leaving only chaos… "This was strange."

"Everyone okay?" DeMarco asked his teammates.

"I think I broke something…" Hoya replied while looking at his right leg.

"Good thing it was just your leg." Madsen said.

"Shut up." Hoya responded.

"What was that thing?" Grant asked.

"It was a spirit and would you let me down?" Korra told Thorne.

"Oh sorry."

"A spirit? What nonsense are you blabbering about?" Hoya asked while he was helped up by Madsen.

"It's a semi-ethereal being from the Spirit World, but this one was…different. It easily cancelled my enhanced Avatar State when even the Didact had trouble with it." Korra replied.

"I think we should go back to the city and tell them what happened." Mako stated.

"Yeah…but first let me contact the other fireteams…if they are even alive, that we are heading there. Once in the city I'll tell the Captain of what happened." DeMarco responded.

"This doesn't look good Korra, first the Didact and now the Spirits?" Asami said.

"I don't know…maybe Tenzin might have a clue of what's going on." Korra said while looking at the decapitated Spartan on the ground…she had never seen something like this outside her encounter with the Flood. She cringed, feeling like vomiting but she held. "Come on…let's go."


	3. Historic Importance

**UNSC FLEETCOM Building, Republic City, United Republic**

* * *

><p>Korra rested her head softly, still trying to think about what happened an hour ago in Galileo Base. Then it hit her... "Why is it called Galileo anyway?" Korra asked everyone around her which included Throne, Mako, and other naval officers.<p>

"Uhh…what?" Thorne responded.

"Why is the base called Galileo?"

"Well…hmm, back on Earth, Galileo was this very smart man who discovered some pretty neat stuff." Thorne replied while looking at his helmet. "He once said 'We cannot teach people anything; we can only help them discover it within themselves." I like to think that we honored him in the long run."

"When my friends and I were on the Infinity, we never had the chance to learn anything about the…cradle world. Could you uh…tell us some things about it?" Korra asked the Spartan IV, her curiosity getting the better of her yet again. Mako, for some reason, didn't seem to like the Spartan. He didn't know why but something in him just yelled…competition.

"Me? I'm no history professor." Thorne replied looking around for Madsen or DeMarco to get him out of this situation. They were waiting for DeMarco or anyone from the city council to come in at any moment. But they were already waiting for an hour…might as well comply with his VIP. "Fine…"

"Let's start with something that not many of us know but should…a really long time ago, in the lands between the continent of Africa and Asia was the Fertile Crescent, there earliest recorded civilization was born. Sumer, the very first city of Mesopotamia_._" Thorne explained, images appeared in Korra's mind as she tried to imagine the ancestors of her people and theirs.

"Some time later, they disappeared leaving only records of their culture. Their legacy was later inherited by the Babylonians and the Assyrians, nomadic tribes that soon discovered the abandoned Sumerian cities and occupied them. That was the beginning…many, many years after that, what we know as the Classical Age rose." Thorne explained.

"From ashes of wars and conflict, the nation we now know as Greece flourished, with the city-states of Athens and Sparta leading the charge. The Spartans…the finest warriors of the Classical Age, we are named after them…for they glory, experience in battle and courage. During the conflict known as the Persian Wars, the mighty and enormous empire of Persia threatened the Greek city-states and the valiant Greek Army, composed of only 300 Spartans and a handful of other Greek warriors defended their land and died fighting a superior enemy…the man leading them was King Leonidas and he died with his men."

Korra imagined a tall man, leading his army against the most powerful men of history, well…at least what her imagination allowed her to imagine. She saw the Spartans as powerful and mighty Water Tribe warriors, making their last stand against the larger and more technological advanced Fire Nation army.

"Eventually though, this Classical Greek Age would soon be over as well. From the north, what the Athenians called the barbaric lands, the kingdom of Macedonia invaded the Greek cities. With the leadership of the then king, Philip of Macedon, the Macedonians conquered the Greeks. Philip died and his son, the legend…his name was Alexander and at the age of nineteen he became the Macedon king and swore to free all of Asia Minor_._"

A legend? And at that age, he wasn't much older than her or Mako…

"By the Aegian Sea, to the east of Greece, in 334 BC he utterly beat the armies of the Persian Empire. Alexander moved swiftly through Asia Minor, defeating and then liberating his enemies. One by one they fell, from the Scythians to the Egyptians, they fell like dominos. And last but not least it was Persia; Alexander entered Persia and conquered it. He was seen as the Pharaoh in Egypt, a god in mortal flesh and in other parts as the savior, thus he became Alexander the Great_._"

"And he did this all while he was young?" Korra asked.

"Yeah, he got all the way into deep Asia when he was around thirty I think, pretty impressive considering most conquerors were really old." Thorne replied. "You have anyone like that here?"

"Well not really, the last conqueror was killed by my past life." Korra responded, Thorne didn't even bother asking what she meant by past life.

"Anyway, Alexander died of fever after he returned to Babylonia. Sad end for a great guy, his empire was then carved into pieces by his generals. But enough of that, we are getting to the more interesting stuff now. Rome, the pinnacle of ancient civilization."

"How so?" Korra asked.

"Well for a multiple of things, they established the rule of the people and many other things. They conquered much of the known world and paved the way for our modern nation-states." Throne responded.

"Kinda like the Fire Nation for us…they were evil back then though." Korra said, remembering the Hundred Years War.

"Rome was not really evil but…considering all they did it would be easy to brush them off like they were. It started out as a republic but it eventually turned to an Empire, with Julius Caesar helping in shaping it but it was his adoptive son, Octavius who became the emperor. It was a one thousand year empire, with its golden years known as the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace." Thorne kept telling.

"They were beaten? How?"

"Bunch of barbarians and Vikings from the north and political intrigue. Even the mighty must fall eventually."

"Hmm…tell me something more current." Korra said.

"More current? Well the 20th Century was home of two world wars and longest running cold war. The United States of America, it was a country that existed with the foundations of liberty, rights and with the promise that all men were created equal. It with its allies fought against the Axis Powers during World War II." Thorne replied.

"World war? A world war?!" Korra couldn't believe it.

"Sounds a lot like the Hundred Years War." Mako added. "What happened?"

"A lot of things happened, it was the consequences of the First World War, but it was mostly because of one man…Adolf Hitler. He built Germany from the ground up after losing the first war and established the Nazi Party…pure evil I say."

"An Ozai…" Mako said.

"The good guys won, but at a great cost. About 60 Million people died, and it was the bloodiest conflict in human history for centuries until we met the Covenant." Thorne said. "But my favorite piece of history for me is the First American Civil War."

"The United States was split on two, north and south, it was fought for many reasons but the main was slavery." Thorne stated.

"Slavery?" Korra asked.

"Yeah…makes my skin crawl. Led by President Abraham Lincoln, the Union fought against the Confederacy or the Rebels for five long years, until victory was achieved. In one of his speeches, the president said that the conflict and the men who fought in it should never be forgotten and I guess he was right. He said that a house divided shall not stand…"

Those words resonated through Korra's head, something told her that something like what happened to the old United States would happen here…on her world soon. She just had a feeling…a bad feeling.

"And then…the Covenant, we first met them over the colony of Harvest. It was the first to fall, they massacred us. We got small victories but everything changed once they attacked Reach, our fortress among the stars was ravaged, we poured everything we had on them…but we lost and Reach fell." Thorne continued. "And that's when the Master Chief and the crew of the Pillar of Autumn discovered Halo, the ringworld. A few months later and the war ended on a high note, the faction of Elites loyal to the Arbiter became our allies and we defeated the Covenant on the Ark and ended the Great War."

"Wow…" Korra said. "It sounds like your history is full of wars."

"It kinda sounds like it doesn't it? But there were some good parts in between them, some really good parts." Thorne replied.

"History lesson to the kids Thorne?" Madsen said as he walked towards them along with DeMarco and Tenzin.

"Tenzin!" Korra and Mako cheered. Bolin and Asami came after them, they had gone exploring while Korra and Mako had stayed with Thorne.

"They really did some repairs to this place from the looks of it." Asami said.

"You should've seen the eating room! It was amazing!" Bolin said with enthusiasm.

"Korra, I'm glad to see you again." Tenzin said after hugging his former student.

"Me too Tenzin, I have something important to tell you." Korra said.

"What is it?" But before she could tell him anything, a man walked from behind the airbending master.

"Ah, Korra! It's very good to see my niece again."

* * *

><p><strong>I am sorry if this chapter didn't have as much action as the previous one, but Korra was really curious. :)<br>**

**Thanks!**


	4. The Southern Lights

**Republic City**

* * *

><p>"As you can see, having these space people around has just brought chaos." Unalaq, Korra's uncle and Chieftain of the Northern Water Tribe said while they walked through the reconstructing streets of the once glorious city. People rushed through the busy alleys and boulevards, with UNSC Army Troopers trying to calm the down the enraged citizens. "Weapons and war that is all these people know."<p>

"But I thought that the city was already fixed." Korra replied.

"It takes more than some strong arms and pretty faces to rebuild a metropolis young lady, especially one that has gone through hell and back." Major Antonio D. Wright, commanding officer of the UNSC Army on Requiem and administrator of the temporary colonial government on the planet until official vote. He was a middle aged man, standard height of five feet and eleven inches and wore the standard UNSC Army officer's uniform. "The Council has been cooperating but until now, looters and anti-space people have been popping around and made our work harder for us."

"Hardly a problem for your men." Unalaq responded on the offensive. "The United Republic is not the only place that has seen issues, even though us on the Northern Water Tribe were able to repel the aliens' attacks, we too have lost several businesses and lives through the course of the past months."

"How can I help?" Korra asked the two men.

"You are the Avatar, the only beacon of hope on the world." Unalaq replied. "And the only one who can fix it."

"What do you mean?"

"The world has been in a frail balance ever since the Hundred Year War was over, but from current events it has fallen into disarray. We can bring on balance."

"Hold on now, nothing is going to happen without my authorization." Major Wright stated. "I can't have her running around getting into trouble, she is far too valuable."

"I agree, but she has a duty." Unalaq responded. Tenzin stepped into the conversation, having listened to Unalaq and the UNSC officer bickering.

"I believe the best course of action is to get to the bottom of this, obviously Unalaq is correct that the general populace is getting out of hand and the Major is right that the UNSC has limited jurisdiction." Tenzin said.

"Fine, I will talk with Captain Lasky aboard the Infinity, tell him what you plan. But the Spartans stay." Wright agreed and walked away.

"Thank you Tenzin." Unalaq said.

"What's your plan?" Tenzin asked the Cheiftain of the North.

"Come, I will explain on the way there."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUNITED FORCES Barracks, Republic City**

UNSC Marines marched around the perimeter of the compound as ODST drill sergeants trained a handful of United Forces soldiers in UNSC combat and firearms usage. Several higher ranked United Forces officers taught some Army troopers and Marines in martial arts even though bending was blocked for the UNSC soldiers.

Inside the command tent, General Iroh II was still in deep thinking on the situation that arose from the UNSC presence on the planet. He read the newspapers from the other nations and this one, some good news and some that weren't. Riots in the Earth Kingdom cities and unsuccessful rebellions in the Fire Nation, terrorists wanting to do away with the Fire Lady and the royal family, but were stopped and annihilated by UNSC Marines guarding the palace, things were not going as he believed they would.

The tech was good and the inventors and big science types were going nuts with all the shiny stuff brought down from the Infinity and the Halcyon-class cruisers that accompanies it but it seemed that the bad stuff outweighed the good. "At this rate, you will grow white hairs all over your head." An old man sat in front of the General's desk.

"Lots of bad things are going on, riots, uprisings and now dead fishermen out on sea. What's next, another invasion? It's just one bad thing after another." General Iroh said as he ruffled his hair, trying to relax.

"Your mother is safe, she told me to tell you that the fire burns brighter when the things around it heat up." The old man said with a smile on his face. The General laughed, he hadn't done so in a while.

"Thanks for that Grandpa Zuko."

On another part of the compound which was more of a city square turned into a campsite, Unalaq surround by his personal guard, Korra, Tenzin, Mako, Asami, Bolin and Majestic Squad headed towards the Strategist Tent, were all the maps and military tacticians from the two militaries met and exchanged ideas.

"The Southern Water Tribe?" Korra asked with disbelief.

"The solstice is almost here, if we open the southern portal we might be able to decrease the immense pressure that the physical world is getting." Unalaq said as he pointed at the Southern Water Tribe on the map.

"Whoa whoa there, a portal?" Hoya asked.

"Hoya's right, what do you mean by portal?" DeMarco stepped in.

"It's a portal to the Spirit World, it has been closed for millions of years, if we open it, it's positive energies will purify the planet." Unalaq replied.

"Is this guy for real?" Madsen mocked the Chieftain, earning a stern look from both Unalaq and Korra who didn't like anyone talking bad of her family members.

"It's a longshot but it might be our only option." Tenzin added.

"Wait, this is the mission?" Grant asked.

"Captain Lasky and Major Wright already authorized it, we are all theirs." Thorne responded.

"Yeah! Awesome mission with the super-soldiers!" Bolin yelled. Korra then felt a slight sting inside her head, like a small migraine. She has been feeling them quite constantly since the attack on Galileo.

Outside in the barracks, Red Fireteam and Crimson Fireteam had comeback alive, Jonas was cleaning his helmet while Gustavo was yawning inside the team's warthog. Geoff and the squad leader were checking on the weapon's crates.

"Where are the rest of the weapons Geoff?" The Squad Leader asked.

"That was my job?" Geoff responded.

"We were given our task on the last staff meeting." Gustavo quickly stated.

"We actually do stuff? I just fall sleep inside my helmet." Geoff replied.

"Sir I think Geoff is a lazy bum." Gustavo said.

"Geoff is a lazy bum? Stop the fucking presses." Squad Leader sarcastically said.

"I found some extra rounds on the back of Sabre Fireteam's weapon stashes, bunch of blow-dryers and baby oil was stuffed with the ammo and guns. Took the guns, ammo and the baby oil." Jonas told them.

"Good job cupcake." The Squad Leader congratulated the soldier.

"What was the baby oil for?" Geoff asked.

"For my dance routines." Jonas replied.

"Why would you use baby oil for…never mind, I don't want to know." Gustavo stopped himself.

"I just got word from command, we are getting promotions! I am a Staff Sergeant now, Gustavo you are now a Lance Corporal." The Squad Leader, now Sergeant, let everybody know.

"Awesome, whoot whoot!" Gustavo padded himself on the back.

"Jonas, you are now a Private First Class." The Sergeant told him, Jonas was happy…and started to dance. "Geoff, command has given me authorization to promote you myself."

"Awesome so…"

"You are now Minor Junior Private Negative First Class!"

"That rank doesn't even exist!"

"It does now."

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

**Three days later on the eve of the Winter Solstice**

A ship, quite the largest of all of those around, docked on the city's docks. It had the emblem of the Northern Water Tribe on its hull and from it came walking Unalaq, his bodyguards and children, Eska and Desna. From the skies, a lone Sky Bison flew down to meet those who had stepped out of the bridge connecting the ship and docks.

"Right here Oogi." Tenzin commanded his Sky Bison; the Spartan IVs still couldn't believe their eyes, a flying bison? Now that was weird…in a way. They hopped off the animal; they had their weapons on their backs ready for anything.

"Found the trip enjoyable?" Korra asked her personal guard, Spartan Thorne.

"It was…something." Thorne replied as he took out his helmet and breathed the cool air of the South Pole. "So…people actually live on the south pole."

"Yeah, I was born here." Korra responded while she looked through the crowd of reporters and on-lookers.

"Who are you looking for?" Bolin asked his friend.

"Dad! Mom!" Korra yelled with a wide smile on her face and ran into the crowd. Mako and Thorne quickly reacted and followed her.

"Does she always do this?" Thorne asked the young firebender.

"Better get used to it tin man." Mako replied with a sly smirk, Thorne didn't like this guy…especially his cocky attitude. Once through the ocean people, Spartan Thorne who was more of a giant among everyone else and Mako found Korra hugging her dad and mom.

"Mom, Dad this is Mako, I told you guys about him thought the telegraph." Korra said introducing Mako to her parents.

"I'm glad to meet you." Senna, Korra's mother said. Korra's father, Tonraq crossed his arms and looked at Mako carefully.

"You aren't doing anything funny with my daughter are you?" The bigger and more muscular man asked Mako.

"Uhh…ehh…no…sir?" Mako responded, not knowing what to say to this hulk of a man.

"Dad…" Korra said.

"I'm just messing with you, welcome!" Tonraq then shook Mako's hand and began to laugh. Then he looked at the heavily armored demi-god standing behind both Mako and Korra. He was as tall as the legends had said and his face was hidden by a golden visor…emotionless with it on. "And you are?"

"UNSC Spartan Gabriel Thorne of Majestic Squad, assigned bodyguard of Avatar Korra." Thorne formally responded.

"Quite the bodyguard you got there eh?"

"It's his job." Korra replied, through the crowd came Tenzin, Korra's friends and the other members of Majestic Squad.

"Next time, don't leave me with the cameras." Madsen said to Thorne.

"Sorry." Thorne said shrugging his shoulders.

"More giants, great." Tonraq stated. Following them came walking Unalaq and his children, Tonraq quickly noticed him.

They stared at each other for a moment, "It's good to see you again brother." Unalaq said.

"It's an honor to be at the presence of the Northern Water Tribe Chieftain." Tonraq responded with clear sarcasm.

"Oh come on brother, I'm here to help my niece."

"You are?"

"Uh dad, we better get going." Korra said.

"How about you come to the city? We are preparing the festival for the solstice." Senna said.

"That would be great!" Bolin said from the back.

"Festival? What are we going to do in a festival?" Hoya asked.

"Our jobs." Grant responded following the others who were leaving.

"How about we get ourselves some cotton candy eh?" DeMarco proposed.

"I'm game." Madsen said.

It was nightfall and the festival began, people from all over attended the solstice festival. There was everything from games to some other stuff that the wandering Spartan-IVs didn't recognize or understood. They were without their helmets, carrying them with their arms.

"This is reminds of back home, Coney Island you know? My parents and I used to take trips there every summer…I miss those days." Thorne said, remembering when his childhood…and the faces he will never see. All because of the Didact…

"Come on man, no need to get all angsty. We're in a festival, lighten up." Madsen told his friend. "Hey look, shoot the duck-weasel!"

"What a weird animal." Thorne said as he joined his more optimistic friend.

Meanwhile, Korra, Tenzin and Unalaq walked together while discussing the fact about the southern portal. "So I just open it and that's it?" Korra asked.

"Sounds simple, but there is more to it. Opening the gate requires concentration and the ability to use the Avatar State." Unalaq said.

"I can do that."

"Korra said she was attack by a dark spirit, can we expect more of those?" Tenzin asked.

"Indeed, dealing with them will be quite troublesome." Unalaq began to think. Then Tonraq joined them. "Ah brother, it is good of you to join us."

"I heard that you're taking Korra into the South Pole." Tonraq said.

"Correct." Unalaq replied.

"It's too dangerous to go in there and you know it." Tonraq responded.

"Why is too dangerous?" Korra asked.

"It's the Forever Storm…it has been ravaging the area for more than a century. It's too cold for anyone to get there." Tonraq answered.

"It quite is, but with the help of the soldiers I'm sure we can get to it." Unalaq said with confidence.

"She is not going in there."

"Korra is the Avatar, it is her duty."

"Tonraq is right; if it's too dangerous then we must be better prepared." Tenzin joined into the fray. Korra tried to voice her opinion, but no one listened to her. She began to grow more irritated as the three grown men bickered between each other.

"I'm going." Korra said.

"What?" Tonraq and Tenzin said in unison while Unalaq was surprised but then smiled sheepishly.

"I'm going into the South Pole, as the Avatar I must set things straight." Korra responded. "We set off tomorrow, on the solstice."

She walked away leaving the three men to themselves. Along the way she found Mako who was playing dart throwing game, one of them barely missed the bull's eye. "You okay?" Mako asked his girlfriend.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just that it seems that everyone takes decisions for me without my consent, first there's this thing with the UNSC thinking that I need protection, then there's Unalaq forcing my duty as the Avatar down my throat and now Tenzin and my Dad still treat me as a little girl." Korra wasn't feeling very good and all these things going around her weren't really helping. "I essentially took down the Didact, saved the Master Chief and prevented planetary genocide; I think I'm capable of handling my own on extreme situations."

"I know you can, and the others do to its just that…you're the Avatar, and people tend to look after you, especially Tenzin and your dad." Mako said trying to make her feel better.

"Oh now you're on their side." Korra quickly said.

"No wait…I'm not on anybody's side. I'm just trying to tell you that…you're too important and no one wants to see you hurt. Especially those who love you." Mako replied.

"I'm sorry…yeah you're right. My head hurts, I'm going to sleep, wanna come?" Korra asked her boyfriend who's face quickly turned red.

"Eh…uh…I don't..uhh…"

"By the way where's Bolin and Asami?" Korra asked.

"Uh they went with DeMarco and the other Spartans to play around the games."

"You still wanna come?"

Mako couldn't resist the smile appearing on his face and just said the most normal answer for a guy his age. "Sure!"

The Spartans followed their VIPs back to the lodging area outside the festival, the party was over and everything seemed to tone down. On their way back, Thorne and Madsen noticed something.

"Oh shit…we lost our VIPs." Madsen said.

"We were too entertained that we forgot our damn mission…" Thorne added. "Maybe they went back to the lodges without us noticing."

"Yeah, let's go." Madsen said, they made their ways to the lodges. Madsen entered his, he was supposed to have guard duty and well…guard in the living room. He was going to sleep on the couch, same with Thorne. He entered… "Hey Thorne, my cabin's empty."

"What?" Thorne couldn't understand, and then it hit him. He entered his and found Mako dead asleep on the couch, he sighed and went to the room to see if Korra was in. She was, sleeping in her bed comfortably. For some odd reason the Spartan smiled warmly but then shook his head and thought clearly again.

"Found them, they're fine. He's on the couch and she's in her bed." Thorne told Madsen.

"Ufff…for a moment there I almost shit my pants. Would you have imagined the face on DeMarco if told him that we had lost them?"

"Yeah."

"Good thing the little man wasn't snooping around eh Thorne?"

"Shut up."

It was the following morning, Korra yawned awake as the sun's rays hit her tanned skin. She put on her fur boots and walked into the living room. There, Thorne had fallen asleep sitting on a chair next to the door and Mako was still sleeping on the couch. Firebenders apparently didn't rise with the sun.

"Hey wake up." Korra shook Thorne awake; the armored man opened his eyes slowly. His first sight being Korra whose hair was down and eyes were as blue as ever. "Good morning."

Thorne yawned, he had never sleep in, it was ten thirty…he usually woke at five. "Morning." He replied. "Madsen was kinda worried for scarf boy there."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Korra said while she woke Mako up.

"Five more minutes." Mako said with a tired voice, Korra laughed while Thorne just shook his head.

On the stables of the city, Unalaq and the Spartans were readying their cargo. Traveling to the South Pole would require extra supplies for those not in power armor. Luckily they had already invented snow bikes, no need for snow…camels.

"I don't like following this guy's mumbo jumbo." Hoya told DeMarco.

"Me neither but we are on orders, just protect your VIPs." DeMarco responded.

"We already fought a 'dark spirit' he might be onto something." Grant said.

"Yeah on drugs." Hoya replied.

"Sorry for being late, Thorne decided to get some more beauty sleep." Madsen said arriving with Thorne to the stables.

"Why are there snow bikes in a stable full of…camels?" Thorne asked.

"Beats me, just get the equipment set up." DeMarco said.

"Soldiers." Unalaq said, the Spartans turned to face him. "It is clear that none of you trust me."

"To be frank, it's not that we don't trust you it's just that you say some pretty unbelievable things." DeMarco responded.

"I do? You're calling me a liar for believing the ancient knowledge of my people?"

"No we don't, it's just that…we just want to get along alright? Command told us to get things straight down here; we just were picked for this safari okay?" Madsen stepped in.

"Loyal and obedient, good traits for soldiers. We are going to get along just fine." Unalaq said as he smiled and walked away leaving a bad taste in the Spartans' mouths.

"Yep, I don't like him." Grant stated.

* * *

><p><strong>The South Pole, Southern Water Tribe<strong>

The team began their expedition, it was obvious that it was going to take a while and as they went deeper into the southern pole the blizzard intensified. The Spartans ignored the cold winds and snow for their MJOLNIR GEN2 power armor protected them to a degree, they could barely feel the sub-zero winds.

It was a different story for the others; they had to wear extra layers of clothing and what not. Some of them were riding snow camels, a thought that still perplexed the Spartans' minds. Since these beasts looked more like horses than camels.

On the way there, Bolin kept commenting on how they were being followed. "You guys hear that?" Bolin asked as he looked around.

"Yeah we hear it." Tenzin replied.

"I don't see anything in my motion sensor." Madsen added. "It's probably the wind."

"Yeah…just the wind." Bolin tried to make himself feel better.

"How much to the pole?" Korra asked.

"Not too much now, the storm is getting bigger." Unalaq answered.

"We better make camp and rest a while; it has been hours since we began." Tonraq said.

They hid below a big rock, they were safe from the snow but they still needed heat. Hoya took out one of his flares and with some wood made a campfire. "Now this is what I'm talking about." Bolin said as he warmed up.

"Now that we're better, there's something weird…" Mako said. "If you two are brothers wouldn't that make Korra a princess?"

"A what?" Korra raised an eyebrow.

"Technically…" Unalaq responded.

"Oh yeah…" Bolin said. "What happened? Aren't you older Mr. Tonraq sir?"

"Yes, I am." Tonraq answered, and then Korra pieced the puzzle together. "I should've been Chieftain of the Northern Water Tribe."

"What!?" They all said together.

"What a twist!" Madsen told Thorne. "Get it because…agh you wouldn't understand."

"Yeah." Thorne said as he smirked.

"What do you mean Dad?" Korra asked.

"You should've told her long ago." Unalaq said.

"Told me what!" Korra insisted.

"I left the North Pole because…I was banished."

"Twenty years ago, a group of barbarians attacked the capital city of the north. I was able to fight them and drive them out of the city. We followed them into a forest, it was odd to find an oasis in the polar desert but nevertheless we knew they were hiding in it." Tonraq told. "I knew that going inside meant walking into an ambush, so we did the most logical…we flooded the entire forest."

"It was an error that would change my entire life." Tonraq said. "After I returned, the city was attacked again during the night, but not by bandits or barbarians, but by spirits. Mad that we had flooded and destroyed their spiritual forest, I had no idea and the city was paying the price."

"The warriors rallied and tried to stop the spirits, but we were outmatched. But then my brother, Unalaq, was able to calm the spirits down. His knowledge of the spirits saved us, but after the battle my father told me that because of my ignorance and attitude, I had endangered our home and he banished me from the kingdom." Tonraq revealed. "I later traveled to the Southern Water Tribe where I met your mother, Senna and well then you were born."

"Whoa…quite the comic book tale." Madsen said.

"Shut it." DeMarco told the childish Spartan.

"Why didn't you tell me this?!" Korra yelled.

"I wanted to protect you from the shame I brought to the family." Tonraq tried to explain.

"Oh now you are protecting me by lying? I am tired of this, of everyone giving out excuses for trying to protect me; well I don't need your protection!" Korra yelled and walked away from the campfire towards her snow came

"Korra wait…!" Tonraq tried to reason with her but she wouldn't listen.

"Drama…teenage angst…you got to love it." Grant said, the Spartans were listening from a distance. They were near the snow mobiles/bikes.

"Hey now, Thorne here is barely passed his teenage years." Hoya poked fun at his rookie teammate.

"I'm twenty-four." Thorne replied.

"A kid by our standards." DeMarco said. "But you are a Spartan, one of us."

Thorne watched how Korra stood alone by her animal guide, Naga. He sighed…

From the back, after they had resumed their trek, Thorne watched how Korra ignored her father; he tried to reason with her but to no avail. Something in him wanted to tell her how lucky she was that at least she had a family…a real one, but another part of him wanted to hug her…? 'Earth…well this place to Thorne, you are a Spartan, the best of the best. Keep your daydreams and nightmares away from the mission, like a true Spartan.' Thorne thought, trying to focus on the mission at hand.

Then he saw Tonraq move his snow mobile and leave them, heading back to the city. "Guy must've had it." Madsen said. "I don't blame him."

Thorne watched him leave…"Yeah."

"He we are…the South Pole." Unalaq said, arriving into the very center of the Forever Storm raging above the seal south pole.

"This is different." Grant said as she looked at the sky, the green colors of the dark clouds swirling around the frozen forest below.

"Alright team, protect your person. Anything could happen." DeMarco ordered.

"What now?" Korra asked her uncle.

"You must go inside the forest and unlock the South Pole." Unalaq answered.

"No way, she isn't going without us." Mako stepped in.

"Without me neither." Thorne said too, holding on to his Battle Rifle.

"No." Korra said gaining everyone's attention. "This is something I have to do alone."

"I have my orders and I'm not about to disobey them." Thorne told her.

"I am the Avatar; it is my duty to do this!" Korra responded. She hopped off Naga and walked towards the Forever Storm. "And don't follow me."

Thorne placed the safety off his rifle and reloaded it. "Watch over them." Thorne said as he quickly went after Korra.

"He's crazy; she's the only one that can survive in there." Unalaq said.

"He's a Spartan, the best of the best. He will make it out." DeMarco told him.

Thorne entered the frozen forest, he couldn't see Korra anywhere. "Korra!" He yelled but no one responded. Then he saw above him something move, "Shit!" He then jumped out of the way as two dark snake-like spirits were about to take his head off.

He then fired with his BR at them, the bullets ripping through the spirit snakes, making them disappear. "Well that wasn't so hard." He said but then he saw a shadow appear behind him. He turned and beheld an enormous dark spirit being.

"Ah!" It struck him with its long arms, his shields broke and his body broke through the ice sheets. He stood up and saw the beast coming towards him at an alarming speed. He threw a grenade; the explosion made the monster fall back and allowed Thorne to run towards a safer location.

Then he saw what appeared to be Korra, "Hey!" He yelled, but the beast then grabbed him by the neck and threw him into the direction he was looking at.

"Augh…this is bad." Thorne said as the monster turned into about a hundred of spirit snakes and began to constrict him. Throne felt like his armor was about to crack but he resisted, he gathered all of his strength and with all his might he broke free from the spirit snakes' grip.

Angry, the dark spirits punched the Spartan into more ice trees and sheets, finally ending up inside an open area, where the closed spirit gate was. Korra was there punching the ice blocking the gate. "I told you not to follow me!" Korra told him.

"Behind you!" He whipped out his BR and shot at the spirit coming behind Korra, it retreated but then the snakes returned. They grabbed the two of them; Thorne was feeling the weight of these supposed ethereal beings crushing his ribs. "This…is…a good time…to do something!" Thorne yelled.

Korra tried to touch the spirit gate but the dark spirits were pulling her back…there was only one things left to do. She entered the Avatar State and with it pulled herself closer to the gate, Thorne watching as how she at that state was burning several of these dark spirits by just touching them. She was close…closer…closer and…

A white lighted engulfed the entire South Pole as Korra unlocked the spirit gate with her Avatar power. The ice melted and the Forever Storm died down, Korra stood up from the grassy ground to see the opened gate. She looked at the base of it…it looked a lot like the stuff that the Forerunners made their tech out of.

"It worked…" Thorne said as he saw the light pillar coming out of the spirit gate. And the sky was then full of what seemed Aurora Borealis. It was beautiful… "Good job." He told Korra.

She smiled, "Let's go back." Korra said. From the other side Unalaq also smiled.

"Christ…they did it." DeMarco said.

"She did it." Unalaq corrected him. "She's the Avatar after all."


	5. The Didact's Gift

_**I am back! Sorry for the long wait, its just that another story and life got in the way. Now, on with the adventure!**  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ, Republic City**

Inside the joint operations military base, the former Fire Lord Zuko and his grandson General Iroh II inspected the United Forces soldiers doing military drills. It was an important day, the Infinity's commanding officer, Captain Lasky, was going to visit the city to see Major Wright's work on rebuilding the nations.

A lofty task but if anyone would do it…well might as well be him. "The 4th and the 6th seem in good shape." Zuko stated. "The techniques of the soldiers from the ship above are quite interesting; I've never seen such hand-to-hand combat skills before."

"There is a lot we can learn from these people Grandpa, and look at this." Iroh replied while he showed him a crate full of SMGs. "They are giving us their weapons, we could give these to every non-bender in every regiment."

"Balancing the army?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah, now that the Council officially has a non-bender representative it will send the message that the United Forces have equality within its squads." Iroh responded.

"Wise decision grandson." Zuko said, Iroh smiled. His grandfather was proud of him, and this is all that mattered to him.

* * *

><p><strong>The Southern Water Tribe<strong>

"Korra!? Where is she?" Tenzin searched for his student throughout the entire tribe. "Have you seen her?"

"Actually I was looking for her too." Thorne replied he had just come out from his cabin.

"She's with Unalaq and the others training in the tundra." Bolin told them while he ate a big piece of artic hen. "This thing is good!"

"Thanks." Tenzin said as he and Thorne went for the others. Once outside of the city's walls and inside the tundra, the airbending master and the Spartan-IV were able to locate the others. Unalaq was teaching Korra the move set on how to calm a dark spirit down, there Mako and Asami watched them train while being accompanied by DeMarco and Madsen.

"Finally made it." Madsen said.

"What's up?" Thorne asked.

"Just some fancy martial arts." DeMarco replied. Tenzin approached Korra and Unalaq.

"Korra, it's almost noon, we have to go." Tenzin said.

"Wait, Unalaq is showing me how to calm a spirit." Korra responded.

"The others are waiting for us; we have a scheduled to meet." Tenzin replied.

"Tenzin, I think I need to learn more about this if we are going to be attacked by dark spirits!" Korra blatantly responded.

"She's right." Unalaq added.

"She still needs to properly learn airbending, and going to the Air Temples will help." Tenzin responded.

"Going to the air temples will help her in no way." Unalaq said.

"I'm tired of you and my dad just telling me what to do, Unalaq has been the only one who has been helping me. I think that I need a new teacher." Korra said.

"But Korra…we have gone so far together."

"I'm sorry, but you have to go." Korra told Tenzin with a cold voice, Tenzin couldn't believe what he was hearing but she is what she wished.

"It has been an honor, Avatar Korra." Tenzin said, vowing and then walking away solemnly. Korra felt really bad to have done this but…it was her duty as the Avatar to fight off these spirits in anyway.

"You did the right thing." Unalaq said.

Thorne and the others looked from afar; the young Spartan-IV noticed what had happened. "Hey Thorne, what happened?" Madsen asked.

"The Avatar just fired her teacher." Thorne replied.

"Oh…well that sucks." Madsen said. Thorne nodded, he agreed…he didn't trust this Unalaq guy, none of them did. Mako went for Korra as soon as she was done training. "Hey, that pointy hair guy is all over your girl again, man."

"Shut up Madsen, don't bother Thorne." DeMarco said.

"Come on, I'm just kidding." Madsen responded. Thorne looked at the two of them hugging and then at Unalaq who was staring off at the distance.

* * *

><p><strong>City Hall, Republic City<strong>

City Hall, home to the United Nation's ruling Council. Inside, representatives from all nations and the brand-new non-bending representative discussed policies and all political relations. Today, Major Wright and Captain Lasky were going to meet with them to discuss more about their continued presence on the nation.

"Ah Captain Lasky, good to meet you." Tarrlok welcomed the captain of the Infinity.

"Morning councilmembers." Lasky said.

"We are sorry that we are all not present but Councilman Tenzin has taken a vacation, in his place Air Acolyte Saishi will be taking his place in this meeting." The representative of the Earth Kingdom explained, the Air Acolyte vowed in respect.

Lasky was quite amazed; these people reminded him of Earth's ancient culturew that he had learned in school when he was a kid. "It has come to my attention that some of the citizens have complained and have actually attacked my soldiers." Lasky said.

"Indeed, and we are terribly sorry for the incidents. We have taken care of those who have attacked your troopers." The representative of the Fire Nation replied.

"Your soldiers have been taking residence in various homes of the civilian population after the campsite ran out of space." Tarrlok said. "And they haven't been too helpful either."

"Now here…" Major Wright was about to say something but was stopped by the captain.

"What do you propose, the Covenant are still out there." Lasky said.

"Move your troopers back to your ship." The former Equalist Lieutenant, now representative for the non-benders said. "Then we can talk."

"That can't happen, I have orders from my superiors to maintain a foothold on this planet and that is what I intent to do." Lasky responded. "I will stay here until we have flushed out the Covenant."

"Then why haven't your soldiers done so?" Tarrlok asked.

"We would if I had more help from your own forces." Lasky replied. "We have already showed great cooperation with your military and civilian bodies, we expect the same from you."

Tarrlok and Lasky looked at each other, they clearly were bumping heads. "I will inspect my forces." Lasky said.

"You shall. Meeting's over." Tarrlok said with venom in his voice.

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere in the Sierra beyond Republic City<strong>

A pelican flew over the cold mountains; within it was a team of six United Forces soldiers in full combat gear and three ODSTs in winter camouflage. The pelican hovered six feet off the snowy ground, the soldiers jumped out of the dropship.

"You have one hour before the storm comes in." The pelican pilot told the team leader.

"Roger. Stanwell out." The ODST leader acknowledged. He signaled the soldiers to follow him, they moved through the snowy valley, moving through fallen trees and thick bushes until they came to a clearing.

"Covenant base site." A United Forces soldier informed.

"Sniper, intel." Stanwell ordered his marksman to inspect the base defenses using the Sniper Rifle's scope.

"Several gators, about ten Jackals…all in sniper fatigues. No vehicles…they seem to be protecting something." The Sniper informed.

"Alright, stay here and keep an eye on those Jackals. Everyone else, belly to the ground." Stanwell ordered, they all hugged the ground and crawled their way towards the Covenant base slowly.

The ODST Sniper looked at the Jackal Snipers; they all seemed to be oblivious to the squad making their way there. The ODST sniper could feel his heartbeat which every breath, "Sir, Promethean units just appeared on your twelve!"

"Shit." Stanwell said, he looked at his soldiers and with one hand gestured told them to remain still. Promethean Knights appeared just in front of them, they were heading towards the Covenant base.

"Sir, those Knights seem to be attracted to whatever the Covies have hidden inside." The Sniper informed through the radio.

The Knights passed them, Stanwell gestured to the soldiers to keep moving. The crawled towards the outer wall of the base, there was no shielding… "We go inside and plant these explosives and get the hell out of here. Wyatt you are our demolitions expert you set up the bomb." Stanwell ordered another ODST. "I need two waterbenders to freeze the gates open."

"Shouldn't be too hard." One of the waterbending soldiers said walking up to the gates with his fellow UF soldier. The bended the snow on the ground and turned it into water, they threw the water into the gates. The bended the liquid into the cracks of the gate, then they began to wreak havoc inside the machinery of the automatic gate forcing it to opening.

It opened slowly, allowing the soldiers to get inside without being detected. The water benders left the gate semi opened since they had to bail out after planting the explosives.

Once inside the joint forces squad sneaked through the alien barracks avoiding contact with the patrolling Elites and Grunts. They made it to the main building of the base; it was empty with only a strange object resting in the middle of the room as it was some sort of altar.

The ODST Sniper was still eyeing the base, but then he felt something sneak up behind him. Before he could react an energy sword impaled him the abdomen instantly killing him. The Elite came out of active camouflage…

"Human worm." The Elite said looking at the corpse of the ODST on the white snow.

"Shipmaster, they are inside." Another Elite, who exited camouflage, said.

"They're already dead."

Meanwhile inside the Covenant base, Stanwell inspected the strange artifact in the middle of the room. It hovered inches above the ground…it looked Forerunner in origin if he remembered correctly.

"I don't like the looks of this thing." Wyatt said through radio, "I would advise not to touch it."

Stanwell had ordered Wyatt to place the explosives in the main reactor of the building; the explosion would case a chain reaction making the whole base to explode into kingdom come.

"This thing…it looks important." Stanwell said.

"Our orders are to blow up this place." A UF soldier stated.

"I know but we must…" Before he could finish his sentence he heard the sounds of Wyatt screaming in the comm. "Wyatt? Wyatt!"

Then the sounds of feet stomping through the dark purple metal halls coming towards them. "Defensive positions now!" Stanwell ordered.

They took positions and faced the hallway that they had come through; Stanwell activated his VISR to see what was coming. Nothing. The helmet didn't pick up anything but he still heard the stomps. "What in the Lord's name…" Was the last thing Stanwell said before a demon from hell itself came running out of the hall and slaughtered him and the UF soldiers under his command.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ, Republic City**

"As you can see, this isn't just any Forerunner artifact." A UNSC scientist, named Dr. Glassman, said as he pointed at the Artifact that the Stanwell had filmed with his helmet's camera and had sent back to base before his tragic death. "It's something else!"

"Dr. Glassman, I know that you fancy these things but men died today. You want us to send more soldiers to pick this artifact from what seems to be a heavily guarded place?" General Iroh II asked, the officers had been reunited inside the operations room of the HQ. With Iroh were Major Wright, Commander Palmer and former Fire Lord Zuko.

"But this could change everything, General!" Glassman responded.

"If it helps in dealing with the Covenant then I say send in the Spartans." Wright said, he turned towards Palmer. "Are your men up for the task, Commander?"

"Fireteam Crimson will retrieve the artifact, sir." Palmer replied.

"I want to know what killed those men as well; we can't allow this to happen again." Iroh said as he looked at the recording which had stopped just as Stanwell was attacked by the being that completely darkened most of the recording feedback.

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

Korra stepped out of the training grounds where she had been practicing her anti-dark spirits moves. The training grounds overlooked the city below which hugged the sea; it was serene view which Korra enjoyed.

Then she noticed several ships coming in the distance, they didn't look like merchant vessels. Unalaq joined her, "Uncle, what are those ships?" Korr asked her uncle.

"Those are Northern Water Tribe Navy ships." Unalaq replied.

"Why are they doing here?"

"I ordered them to come; the South has forgotten its way. As Chief of the Northern Water Tribe it is my duty to guide my sister tribe no matter the cost."

Korra wasn't sure of what was happening, but the South needed help in dealing with the Spirit problem. Until then it seemed that military involvement was needed…


	6. Civil War

**The Southern Water Tribe**

Northern Water Tribe troops moved through the streets of their sister tribe bringing great distress and anger from the southern water tribesmen. Several high-profile southerners gathered together to discuss what to them seemed to be the Northerner Water Tribe unjustly annexing them.

The Northern Navy sealed the city's bay, preventing no one to exit the city through the ocean without the navy's consent. This was extremely bad for the business that needed to ship their goods abroad and a sign of aggression to the local populace. The SPARTAN IVs currently inside the city, Fireteam Majestic, only saw what seemed to be a road to war. This wasn't good and the Infinity needed to know this.

"Thank you for coming everyone, I know the last few days have been…very troubling." Tonraq said to those assembled in his home.

"Troubling? Troubling is when I get that itchy rash that won't go away and Zhu-Li's not around to scratch it, this is shocking!" Varrick stated while he ate a plate of cookies…which fell to the floor once he was done talking. "We have to do something! But these kelp cookies…the opposite! Remind me to get the recipe for later." He told his assistant.

"What's your point…Varrick?" Tonraq asked.

"My point is that Unalaq already booted our Chieftan out of his palace, how long till he tells us what kind of cookies we have to eat!?" Varrick responded.

"Probably a couple of days." Zhu-Li answered.

"Rhetorical question Zhu-Li, you have to keep up! Not to mention that I have a cargo ship full of food rotting thanks to the harbor lock down! Who wants to buy a ship full of stinkin' fish?!" Varrick said throwing another plate to the floor. "Seriously…it's not rhetorical I need to sell these fish."

"Chief Unalaq is here to help the south." Korra said, standing up from her seat. "He wants to show us how to restore balance to the spirit so they stop attacking."

"The only spirit I'm interested in restoring is our spirit of independence! Am I right people!?" Varrick shouted with the people agreeing with his position.

"All Unalaq is trying to do is to make our tribes unified again." Korra said.

"No, he wants control of our wealth. My wealth. And I like my wealth! If Unalaq doesn't pull his forces out we have no choice but to fight for our freedom!" Varrick countered with the people once again taking his side.

"You want to start a war? Are you crazy!?" Korra yelled.

"Unalaq started this, not us." Tonraq said, this didn't sit well with his daughter. "Listen, I'm sorry but try to speak with your uncle. Tell him how frustrated we all are, he'll listen to what the Avatar has to say. Do it for me?"

"I'll do it for the tribe." Korra coldly replied leaving her parent's home.

"I cannot stop eating these things." Varrick said eating the last cookie. "Look, we all know where this conflict is heading. We need to start preparing for war."

Tonraq nodded in agreement, a conflict with his brother was inevitable and he knew it.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity, in orbit around Requiem<strong>

Captain Thomas Lasky had just returned from giving the United Forces assistance with the remaining Covenant Storm forces on the planet's surface. He had ordered Commander Palmer to stay with General Iroh and Major Wright as a direct link to the Infinity's CIC.

"Sir!" A naval operative said.

"What is it?" Lasky asked.

"We are getting strange readings from the planet's poles." The navyman said showing the captain a hologram of Requiem on the holodesk. "They are not normal readings too."

"What do you mean?" Lasky asked again as he looked at the energy coming from both southern and northern poles.

"The one in the south just spurred into action after Fireteam Majestic's incursion into the South Pole, the northern one then got a sudden surge of energy at the same exact moment." The navy man said.

"Why wasn't I told of this sooner?" Lasky asked.

"The Infinity just finished deciphering these readings, sir, whatever it is…it's strange, even for Roland." The navy man explained. Roland, the Infinity's resident artificial intelligence then appeared on the holodesk.

"And I have seen a lot of weird stuff in a short amount of time Captain, with what's going on the surface and now the poles…this takes the cake." Roland said.

"Something's up and it's not the Covenant…" Lasky said looking at the hologram of the planet. "Has Fireteam Crimson retrieved the package from the Covenant base?"

"Affirmative, they got it as soon as you asked." Roland answered.

"Good, tell Dr. Glassman to begin expecting of the package right away." Lasky ordered, he sat back on the captain's chair. "That might be the whole key to this war."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ, Republic City**

The Pelican landed, its hangar door opened revealing Fireteam Crimson and the Forerunner device inside. A group of the Infinity's science team awaited as Crimson brought the device into the science wing to be examined by Dr. Glassman and his team.

"This is the thing that several of my men died in retrieving?" General Iroh asked as he, Commander Palmer, Major Wright and Ambassador Zuko looked at the device being worked on.

"It might not look the part but this is a Forerunner relic! It might hold a unlimited amount of information needed to defeat the Prometheans!" Dr. Glassman responded, "Imagine the possibilities!"

"Whatever is found in it, it belongs to the United Forces." General Iroh said getting a weird look from the UNSC personnel around him. "It was found in our soil by the Covenant, and my people needed if we hope to fight them off once the Infinity leaves."

"Oh…of course…yes." Glassman replied and continued to examine the Forerunner device.

"I still don't understand why would the Covenant want this thing so bad?" Major Wright asked.

"Could be anything, secrets of untold proportions, keys to super weapons, Elvis's whereabouts…anything." Palmer replied looking at the strange thing.

As soon one of the scientist touched the device with their hands instead of an instrument the thing began to glow, pulsating orange energy into the ground. It then beamed an energy shot upward, ripping through the roof and into the sky.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

Lasky was looking at reports coming from Earth about the fleet when suddenly the Infinity was hit by anenergy charge. It went throughout the whole ship, taking the naval personnel by surprise. "Roland!" Lasky yelled.

"What's happening?!" Lasky asked.

"Several decks reporting loss of…power, sir." Roland answered feeling a strange sensation going though his digital being. "Trying to source it now."

"Get the engine room online." Lasky ordered.

"Aye aye sir." Roland complied.

The energy surge went from deck to deck until it arrived into the Infinity's propulsions systems, completely shutting them down. "Sir! Artificial gravity is offline!" Reports came in from several channels across the ship.

"We are in free fall towards the planet! Get the engines working now!" Lasky shouted through the comms. The problem was that the engines were made from scavenged Forerunner technology and it was pretty hard to comprehend their functions…but apparently it was easy to put them together.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ, Republic City**

The device kept throwing in power into the sky, not stopping for even a second. "Major, we just lost contact with the Infinity!" An UNSC Army comm operator informed the Major and the others.

"What!?" Wright couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"We just got visual; it's on a free fall course…towards us!" Another operator added.

"Shut it down!" General Iroh shouted at Glassman as he and the other scientists panicked trying to stop the device from emitting energy.

"I can't! I…I don't know how!" Glassman responded.

Commander Palmer looked at the thing; there was only one thing to do in a situation like this one. She quickly ran towards the Forerunner device and kicked it with the force that would flip a three ton Warthog. And as soon as she kicked the god damn thing, it stopped emitting the energy beam towards the Infinity.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

The energy surge stopped, allowing the Infinity to come back online again. The engines turned back on preventing the Infinity to crash onto the planet…again. The artificial gravity came back and allowed Lasky to stop hanging from his chair.

Several hailing frequencies from the other UNSC ships shadowing the Infinity came through the comms. Probably asking what happened to the massive ship. "Send them a full report on the incident, I'm going planetside." Lasky ordered Roland.

"Yes sir." Roland acknowledged.

* * *

><p><strong>The Southern Water Tribe<strong>

Korra went to the Chieftan's palace, which had been occupied by Unalaq recently. The palace guards allowed her in, inside the great chamber was several people she didn't expect to see. Several UNSC soldiers and officers were waiting in the great hall, obviously for Unalaq.

"Korra." The Avatar turned to see SPARTAN-IV Thorne entering the palace alone, "I was going to tell you that Chief Unalaq is having an audience with several UNSC Ambassadors."

"Why?"

"They know that something is about to happen and they want to prevent before it does."

"Then I should do my thing and let them know what the people think." Korra stated stomping towards the inner chambers where the meeting was taking place. Korra interrupted the meeting, there were two Ambassadors sitting in front of Unalaq and they were surprised by the Avatar's sudden entrance.

"Our next training session is not until tomorrow." Unalaq said.

"Sorry to interrupt but it's about our conversation this morning." Korra replied.

"Yes." Unalaq acknowledged, the UNSC Ambassadors looked at each other and excused themselves leaving Korra and the Chieftan alone.

"I understand why you brought your troops here but I'm afraid its sending the wrong message." Korra said.

"Your father has been talking to you?" Unalaq asked.

"Not just him, Varrick too. There was a meeting between almost everyone important in the tribe; a lot of Southerners feel that their tribe is being invaded." Korra said.

"I'm their chief, I'm uniting not invading." Unalaq responded.

"I know, but I'm just afraid if something doesn't change…there is going to be a civil war." Korra told him her worries.

"If both water tribes went to war…the other nations would choose sides." Unalaq said. "The Dark Spirits would thrive off these negative energies and the world would be thrown into a battle between Spirits and man. It would be catastrophic."

"Then you have to stop it!" Korra told her uncle.

"I've already taken measures with our interstellar allies but I'm afraid that this is something that the Avatar is able to prevent." Unalaq said standing up from his throne. This didn't sit well with Korra, she could fight and physically stop things…but political unrest? She had no idea where to even begin!

"I'm usually the one starting fights, I have no idea how to stop them from happening." Korra said.

"Korra as the Avatar just must remain neutral in this conflict, you will naturally want to help your people but showing favoritism will not help our tribes find unity." Unalaq told Korra, and he was right in this instance.

"Maybe Tenzin was right; maybe I'm not ready to be the Avatar." Korra began doubting her fortitude; this was something she had never dealt with before.

"Tenzin lacked faith in you, but I have no doubt that you will become the greatest Avatar this world will ever know. " Unalaq said cheering his niece up a bit.

"Thank you, uncle." Korra thanked her new mentor.

UNSC Army Troopers walked through the streets of the ice city, they admired the way this world was so different from Earth. Some buildings were literally made out of wood and snow…and ice. It was incredible.

"What's that noise?" One of the troopers asked his squad leader.

"Sounds like rebellion to me, let's go men." The commanding sergeant said, leading his troopers towards another street. There they saw several civilians throwing snow at a group of Northern Water Tribe soldiers. The troopers knew unrest when they saw it, and this was the case.

"Hey! Hey! What's going on here?!" A UNSC soldier said stopping a man from throwing a hard ice ball at one of the Northern soldiers.

"Tell these invaders to go back up north, we don't want them here!" A civilian yelled, the soldiers quickly took military waterbending positions and prepared to strike.

"We are trying to fix this situation." The sergeant said.

"Why are we even listening to these…aliens?!" Another civilian said throwing a snow ball at the UNSC troopers, the soldiers didn't want to engage with the southern peoples but if they needed to. Korra then came riding on top Naga.

"Stop!" Korra yelled keeping the civilians and the military from murdering each other.

"Tell these civilians to stand down!" One of the Northern soldiers stated.

"Everyone calm down, we're all part of the same tribe!" Korra shouted.

"You're taking their side? We thought you were one of us!" One of the civilians responded.

"I'm not taking anyone's side!" Korra replied earning a snow ball to the head by one of civilian kids running around. "Hey!"

"You're the worst Avatar ever!" The little girl said throwing another ball at Korra who grabbed it and melted it with her hand.

"Everyone! Walk away from this." Tonraq said coming in to stop this possible rebellion. The UNSC Troopers sighed. "They're not worth our trouble; go back to your homes." He ordered the rioting civilians; they threw their bended water into the ground and walked away.

The soldiers did the same, resuming their patrol. "Korra, I…" Tonraq was about to talk to his daughter but she had already left. "Korra!"

"Let's pack up; we have to meet up with the others in about ten minutes." The sergeant told his men as they prepared to continue on their march.

"Soldiers, do you have a minute?" Tonraq asked the sergeant.

"We are on borrowed time, what is it?" The sergeant asked.

"I have a message to your superior officer."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ, Republic City**

"This did all of that damage?" Lasky asked as he looked at the artifact hovering above the floor and humming repeatedly.

"It sent out a pulse to the Infinity, I have deduced that it was trying to communicate with the ship's reactor and engines. They are both Forerunner in origin." Dr. Glassman informed the captain as he hurried on his research.

"This is going to sound strange, doctor, but does this somehow involve the Didact?" Lasky asked, Glassman turned to the captain.

"Possibly, we know that the Master Chief did not kill the Forerunner in open combat from his report. He fell into the slipspace anomaly that the Composer produced when it fired at Earth. This might be sending out a beacon." Glassman said.

"A beacon?" Lasky asked.

"Yeah…like a lighthouse lighting the way…and the ship could be anything." Glassman said.

"And it might not be pleasant. Glassman, get the artifact to the Infinity we have a guest coming." Lasky informed the scientist.

"A guest?"

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

Korra rode Naga back to her cabin, there her friends and SPARTAN bodyguards waited. Bolin was chatting with Hoya while DeMarco and Grant looked and inspected their rifles. Asami was working on her Forerunner Suppressor that she had kept from the Prometheans. Thorne and Madsen talked about the recent events. Mako greeted Korra.

"How was your day sweetie?" Mako asked her.

"Oh fabulous! My tribe is going to war and I'm supposed to stop but will anyone listen to me!? No! And I didn't ask for my father's help, shouldn't he just me be the Avatar?!" Korra began to felt the political turmoil of being the Avatar.

"Uh…do you want advice or do you want me to just to listen? Still not clear on that." Mako asked confused in what to do and not wanting Korra to blow up on him again.

Korra sighed in tiredness. "I'm sorry, my dad just gets me all worked up." Korra apologized to her boyfriend.

"How about you take a break from all this Avatar stuff and we go out for a quiet dinner, just the two of us?" Mako asked, Korra smiled the fact that she could have a moment with Mako and just be herself sounded amazing.

Madsen looked at Mako and Korra leaving on top of Naga, being followed by Bolin. "Hey Thorne, what's up with your girly buddy?"

"I don't know, she just does thing when I'm not around to babysit her every move." Thorne replied. "This mission is not what I expected."

"What do you mean?" Madsen asked.

"We're Spartans, the best of the best, we make ODSTs look like chumps and here we are…babysitting a bunch of kids." Thorne complained.

"Is that crying I'm getting from you Thorne?" DeMarco asked. "This is our mission, Spartan, we do it and we do it well. No buts, we get it done."

Asami listened to the Spartans' talking to each other. "We are the UNSC's only liason with that girl and guess what, that girl helped the Master Chief in beating a Forerunner, and not just any Forerunner…but the meanest, hardest and toughest son of a bitch the galaxy has ever spawned." DeMarco stated. "We are going through this, end of discussion."

"Hey, DeMarco, what is your mission exactly?" Asami asked the Spartan as he cooled off and sat next to her.

"Aside from protecting your friend from Covenant and Prometheans, we are here to investigate your peoples. The Captain is right now in Republic City doing his diplomatic bit while we do the hands-on work. What has Thorne in a barrel is that the other Spartan-IV fireteams are in the field right fighting the Covenant in the Earth Kingdom and inside the shield world." DeMarco answered. "It's not really a classified op, but a little action is needed for Spartans once in a while."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

Two pelicans landed on hanger 23 in the Infinity, one contained Lasky, Glassman and a team of scientists carrying the artifact towards the science bay. The other contained Fireteam Crimson escorting possibly one of the greatest scientific minds in the century…Dr. Catherine Halsey. Commander Palmer met with Lasky.

"Are you sure about this?" Palmer asked him.

"This is our only chance to know what's going on." Lasky replied. Halsey has been transported from the UNSC Inquisition, a prisoner ship.

"She was locked up for a reason." Palmer told her CO. The Spartans escorted the mother of the SPARTAN-IIs towards the captain.

"Dr. Halsey, thank you for coming." Lasky said.

Halsey quickly showed him her cuffs, "I'm not going around the ship I built with my hands cuffed." Halsey told him. Spartan Reynolds of Crimson took out her cuffs once the captain permitted it. "Show me the artifact."

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

Korra rode back to her cabin, she intended to rest but she found her mother waiting for her inside. "Mom?" Korra asked. "Did Dad send you to talk to me?"

"Your father doesn't know I'm here." Senna replied, Korra sat next to her mother. "Korra, what's going on between you two?"

"Ask Dad." Korra responded.

"I've tried, but he won't talk about it." Senna said. "Honey, it breaks my heart seeing our family being torn apart like this."

"You wanna know what's going on? I found out that Dad has been lying to me my whole life! Unalaq told me everything, how Dad and Tenzin kept me trap in here while I trained, how Dad got banished from the north."

"So…the secret's out." Senna sighed.

"You knew?" Korra asked in disbelief. "And you never said anything?"

"We were trying to keep our family together, to give you a normal childhood." Senna said.

"But I never wanted a normal childhood; all I ever wanted to be was the Avatar! But everyone is holding me up including my own parents! Unalaq is the only one who believes in me!" Korra yelled.

"That's not true Korra." Senna responded.

"No?! Then why is everyone in the south turning against me when all I'm trying to do help them!?"

"The problems between the north and the south started long before you were born, you can't expect to undo them in a day."

"So I should just sit back and watch the water tribes go to war?"

"No, but this situation might be out of your control. Varrick's been planning rebellion against Unalaq, he asked your father to join but…"

"Dad's part of a rebellion?!"

"I don't know, but I don't want you to get caught in the middle of it."

"It's too late for that…I'm already in the middle of it." Korra said running out of the cabin.

"Korra!"

Korra quickly made her way to the palace, the front gates had been forced open and the guards were dead on the floor. Ice dagger wounds on their bodies, this had gotten out of hand and Korra needed to stop her father now. She entered the palace and ran towards Unalaq's private quarters and there she founds them.

Four masked men carried an unconscious Unalaq away from his bedroom, Korra hid behind a wall listening to the men's chatter. "This was easier than what I thought." One of them said breaking the neck of an unconscious guard.

"Yeah, I expected more of a fight from these idiots." Korra heard them walking towards her, so she attacked before they could. Surprising them with a wave of air, two of the four men were blown away by the gust of intense air. They hit the far wall with a loud thud knocking them out, the other two realize that they were facing the Avatar now, so they waterbended ice darts and threw them at Korra.

Korra evaded them, following the masked as they ran away from her. Once in the great hall, the masked men bended an ice wall out of the floor, restricting Korra's way. Korra broke through using firebending.

The two placed Unalaq on their snowmobiles and prepared to leave. "Hey." An armored hand poked one of the masked men on the shoulder; he turned to be punched in the face breaking his skull. The last masked man panicked and started the snowmobile, Korra got there in time.

"Buck?" Korra asked when she saw the familiar ODST standing over the unconscious mask man.

"In the flesh." Buck responded, shooting the snowmobile with his silenced SMG in the motor with precise accuracy. The vehicle stopped, the last would-be kidnapper was grabbed by Korra who threw him onto the snowy ground.

"Why did you do this, Dad!?" Korra yelled, taking the man's mask off. Turns out, it wasn't Tonraq at all. "What? Who are you? Where's my father?"

"He wouldn't help us; he's a traitor just like you!" The assassin said as he kicked unconscious by Buck.

"He was done talking anyway." Buck said. Unalaq began to awake; he was helped by the ODST.

Minutes later, water tribe soldiers came to arrest the kidnappers, "Thank you for saving my life." Unalaq showed his appreciation to Korra.

"I'm just glad that this is over." Korra said.

"Find Varrick, I want him to freeze in prison with the rest of these traitors." Unalaq ordered his soldiers.

"Wait, you can't just lock them away." Korra said. "That would only make the south angrier."

"You want them to go free?"

"No, but let them stand trial for what they did. Every water tribe citizen deserves that right."

Unalaq thought it, and saw wisdom in her words. "Very well, I'll respect the Avatar's wishes in this matter."

"Thank you uncle." Unalaq then left along with his guards.

"Care to explain to me what happened while I was in a lunch break?" Buck asked Korra.

"A lot, but I will tell you later. What are you doing here?" Korra replied.

"Didn't they tell you? The UNSC is throwing in troops all over the globe." Buck answered. "Orders straight from the Captain."

"They are what?!" Korra responded.

The first lights of day appear from the horizon, Korra rode towards her parents' home…her home in hopes of finding her father there. She opened the door to find her mom and dad there waiting for her.

"Is it okay if I come in?" Korra asked with a soft voice.

"Of course, we heard what happened…are you okay?" Senna asked her daughter worried for her well-being.

Tears began to engulf Korra's sore eyes, she hugged her dad. It had been so long since she had done so, to feel the warm embrace of her father.

"I'm so glad you weren't there! I don't know what I would've done!"

"I had no idea how far Varrick was willing to go. My brother and I have our differences but I would never attack him." Tonraq explained.

"I'm sorry for thinking you had anything to do with the rebels and for all the pain I've caused for you and mom." Korra apologized for her previous rudeness and harshness towards her parents.

"I'm the one who should apologize; after I saw the Southern Lights come back I was so proud of you. I never should've held you back." Tonraq said.

"When your father and I found each other all we wanted was to live a simple life and raise a normal family. But then we discovered you were the Avatar and simple was over. We knew one day the world would need you and you wouldn't need us anymore." Senna said their reasons for not revealing the truth to Korra before.

"Mom, Dad…of course I still need you." Korra said hugging both of her parents. Then footsteps were heard coming from the front door. They turned to see Unalaq standing in front of them.

"We weren't expecting you." Tonraq said to his brother. Several Northern soldiers appeared, entering the small home.

"We have a problem." Unalaq said.

"What is it?"

"The UNSC is invading our homes." Unalaq replied. "We are going to war."

* * *

><p><strong>Within Requiem<strong>

Three high ranking Elites stood as they saw dozens of Covenant troops rallying and porting more equipment in front of what seemed to be ancient structure. One of the Elites turned towards the golden armored one.

"The Supreme Commander grows inpatient, we can delay no longer." The tall purple armored elite told the golden one.

"What if the infection defiles the relic?" The Elite Warrior asked.

"I care not for your little life! Open the relic."

"Yes, Commander 'Lhar." The elite vowed and left to inform his Elites of the Commander's orders. The gates of the ancient structure opened, several Prometheans stood behind Commander 'Lhar. Within there were secrets beyond imagining, enough to bring the living god back.

"Inform Supreme Commander 'Mdama of our discovery, we have found it."


	7. A Whisper In the Storm

**Southern Water Tribe**

It has been announced, throughout the populace that the Water Tribes have declared war on the UNSC and its allies. It was out of the blue for every single citizen of the Southern Water Tribe, they had no quarrels with the men from the stars but now they were going to be forced to battle against a clearly technological superior race of humans. They stood no chance in winning or even stalemating.

"This escalated quickly." Varrick said as he read the newspaper before him. "I knew Unalaq was tyrannical, but it appears he has gone full crazy!"

"We have already tried to reason with him but to no avail; his decision is set in stone." Tonraq said, they had reunited in one of Varrick's cargo ships.

"Any suggestions? The UNSC already has two ships orbiting above." Another concerned man asked. Tonraq looked up to the sky and saw two UNSC frigates looming over the tribe.

"We do what we can, we have to go to the UNSC headquarters and ask them not to level our tribes." Tonraq said.

"How?" Varrick asked.

"I have an idea."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ, Republic City…One Hour Earlier**

General Iroh and Ambassador Zuko ran towards the main UNSC building in the site, the FLEETCOM building. They entered to see several naval personnel organizing and establishing links to the UNSC frigates orbiting over the Southern Water Tribe and the UNSC destroyer above the Northern Water Tribe. If there was anyone willing to listen to them it was Captain Lasky.

Upon their arrival to the War Room, they were stopped by two UNSC Marines who guarded the entrance to the room. "I'm sorry but the Captain is in an officer meeting."

"This is important; we need to speak with the Captain." Zuko said.

"It's directly from the President of the United Republic." General Iroh added, the marines looked at each other.

"Like I said, no one shall enter while the meeting is in progress." The marine rebutted. The two firebenders were about to insist when…

"They can come in." Commander Palmer said appearing from behind them.

"Commander." The two marines took stance.

"At ease. Follow me." She said to the two firebenders, they entered the War Room. It was quite large, it had an enormous circular table in the middle were all the UNSC officers sat at and hundreds of technological devices being attended by naval and army personnel.

"Commander, I see you brought guess." Major Wright said.

"We are here to talk about the Water Tribes." Zuko stated.

* * *

><p><strong>Earth Kingdom <strong>

The UNSC garrison stationed in forward operations base codename: Washington was advised to prepare armaments and vehicles and to await new orders by the headquarters in Republic City. There, the UNSC Marines and Army were to investigate a nearby entrance to the inner shield world that had been breached by Covenant not too long ago.

The excavation was going according to schedule; miners were to have removed the ground and to reveal the Forerunner entrance now since all Covenant forces had been eliminated. "Hey Roger!" One of the marines called out to his squad mate within the mine supervising the mining team of earthbenders supplied by the local government.

"What?!" Cpl. Roger replied.

"Command says we have to prepare for confrontation."

"With who?"

"The Water Tribes."

"The hell?" Then before their conversation was over, one of the miners discovered the entrance to the shield world. The marines went to see their discovery.

"Nothing here, sir." One of the miners said coming out of the entrance. The marines entered.

"Radio for the others." Cpl. Roger told his friend, he proceeded to look at the closed gate. This didn't look like a shield world entrance, at least not like the reports said they looked and operated like. Then rattling sound came from the other side of the gate.

The marines heard this and readied their weapons, "You guys get out of here and get back to the base." Roger told the miners who quickly left the dig site. The marines aimed at the gate, it began to open slowly.

And with a loud thump sound, the gate opened, it revealed a poorly lit room on the other side. Nothing but canisters and what seemed to be operating tables. This didn't look like an entrance, more like a laboratory or a…

"Covenant!" Cpl. Roger's friend, Lance Corporal Gonzales yelled once he saw several Elites run pass them. They opened fired and the bullets hit the Forerunner columns doing visible damage to them.

The gate behind them closed, and before they could do anything they faced something greater than the Covenant.

_**Children, start my feast!**_ A horrible voice resonated through the room, and then dozens of infected Covenant soldiers sprung forth from their hiding spots. The marines fired and screamed as they saw their jump on them.

From the other side, an entire squad of ODSTs and Army Troopers waited, Sgt. Ruckus pounded on the closed gate hearing the bloody screams of the trapped marines inside the Forerunner lab. His worries were over once the gate opened and hell cut loose.

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

Korra met with her father, Varrick and her friends within one of Varrick's cargo ships. This way they wouldn't be seen by any of Unalaq's soldiers and be accused of conspiracy.

"So, you want me to get past that blockade of ships and get help from the United Forces?" Korra asked her father.

"Yes, they are the only ones that can help us now." Tonraq said. "I know my brother; he's going to throw every single member of the Water Tribes into the meat grinder until he wins."

"What do you want me to do?" Korra asked.

"Meet with the President of the United Republic, he has enough power to make Unalaq reconsider." Tonraq said.

"And he sports a killer mustache! Like mine." Varrick added.

"What about the UNSC?" Mako asked.

"We just have to hope that they don't blow us up with their flying ships." Varrick replied. Someone knocked on the metal doors, Bolin went to see who it was.

"Uh…it's DeMarco and the others." Bolin said.

"Let them in." Tonraq ordered, Bolin opened the gate and allowed them to come in, the SPARTAN-IVs had been using active camouflage to sneak their way to the cargo ship undetected, they didn't want to engage any of the Water Tribesmen and force the UNSC ships above to level the city to kingdom come.

"We got bad news; the UNSC just lost an entire garrison, the 56th Marine Regiment in the Earth Kingdom and two special operations ODST fireteams at the same time." DeMarco informed them.

"In the Earth Kingdom? You think Unalaq has gone that far?" Korra asked her father.

"He wouldn't engage in a war within Earth Kingdom borders…something is definitely wrong here." Tonraq said. "Any news on what your captain has planned?"

"Nothing at the moment but he is trying to at least repel the Water Tribes." Grant answered. Then DeMarco got a transmission as they talked.

"I just got something…Water Tribe forces are engaging UNSC Army Troopers at the docks. Apparently command sent them to disable the blockade and allow the UNSC to drop in annexing forces."

"Annexing?" Asami asked. "They are planning in taking over the Southern Water Tribe?"

"I can't let that happen." Korra said preparing to leave to the docks. "I'm going to stop them both and then make my way to Republic City."

"Hold on Korra! Korra!" Tonraq yelled but Korra had already leaved with her friends not far behind her trail. Tonraq turned to the Spartans, "Keep her safe, Spartans."

"Don't worry sir, we got her." Thorne said, the Spartans left following Korra and her friends towards the battlefield.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ, Republic City…One Hour Earlier**

"What you're proposing is that we should just allow Unalaq to get away with this? We have been monitoring him for the past week and he is not the type of guy we allow to be in power." Maj. Wright said.

"Don't you see, there is already heavy tensions between the north and the south, if the UNSC gets into armed conflict with Unalaq he is going to sparkle another global war!" Zuko replied.

"Explain." Captain Lasky said.

"The war with the Water Tribes will expand into the other nations, with Unalaq wanting to engage every single UNSC outpost and bases." Zuko explained. "Another global war might be enkindled."

"We can't take any chances with people like him!" Lieutenant Lee of the UNSC Army responded. "We stop him now and we can spare this planet a world war."

"It's not that easy." General Iroh said. "Even if you impeach Unalaq by force the other monarchs are going to see at as an act of aggression from your part."

"So there's no win-win situation?" Lasky asked.

"I'm afraid the only route of action that can be taken is…if the Avatar herself dethrones Unalaq."

"Excuse for just one second." Lasky turned and activated his command transistor that resided on his right ear. "This is Lasky."

"Captain?"

"Who is this?"

"This is Corporal Suang from the United Forces Army in the Earth Kingdom; we have contacted survivors from Washington Base, sir."

"I'll be on my way." Lasky stood up. "Get Korra here immediately, we need a plan."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

Dr. Catherine Halsey, the best of the best in the UNSC scientific world and the mother of the original Spartans. She was escorted by two SPARTAN-IVs from Crimson. Walking with her was Dr. Glassman, who was left by Captain Lasky to monitor her actions while he and Commander Palmer were dealing with the politics planetside.

"Is the device ready for examination?" Halsey asked the doctor.

"Well aside from sending energy pulses throughout the ship, its fine. This area is the only place where power's gone though." Glassman replied

"Good. Have there been any other reactions since…"

"Since it almost crashed the Infinity to the planet below…nope, nothing since."

Halsey proceeded to examine the Forerunner device closer, looking at its patters and possible origin. She is an expert in Forerunner technology, having unearthed Forerunner coordinates from a lost Forerunner relic in Reach which led to the discovery of the first Halo ring, and she was also responsible for the construction of the Infinity itself.

"Anything?" Glassman asked.

"I see that Lasky wanted three of the new models to escort me." Halsey stated.

"The Captain asked for the best!" Spartan Luke of Crimson said.

"And yet…" The one response made the Spartans from Crimson get a bit pissed off, as if she had just insulted their efficiency. The artifact glowed deeply, like if it was trying to communicate with something.

"What is it?" Spartan Yuang, fireteam leader of Crimson asked.

"Engine room, now."

In their way down to the engine room, the Spartans from Crimson wondered about who Dr. Halsey was never having heard from her before.

"Hey Luke, why would they want us guarding some old lady?" Spartan Alonso asked.

"She's bad news man." Spartan Luke replied. "Haven't you heard? She's the one that created the original Spartans, y'know Master Chief?"

"No way."

"Yeah story goes that she kidnapped them when they were little kids." Alonso said.

"What would an old lady want with kids?" Then they saw the Halsey was looking at them, she saw them as mere inferior knock-offs of her masterpiece, of her life's achievement.

"First we taught them how to be silent, then we taught them how to be Spartans." Halsey responded, shutting the chatting of the two IVs.

Once in the engine room, Roland, the Infinity's AI, met them there. "Roland, how're the engines?" Glassman asked the digital WWI ace.

"Engine room is on lockdown." Roland answered. "All system operating normally, you know I can't fly the Infinity without human aid."

"I'm sure that the captain will give you some help once he comes back." Glassman replied. Halsey began to manipulate the control panel of the engines. The Infinity's engines were massive, the pinnacle of human technological achievement. Of course they had a bit of help from the Forerunners.

"Are we just going to let her touch stuff?" Spartan Luke asked.

"Well she did make this ship; she has more experience and knowledge about this ship than any of the eggheads in here." Spartan Yuang replied. While Halsey searched through the controls of the Infinity's engines, the gigantic Forerunner engine roared into life. An immense pulse, similar that to the artifact's, rushed through the ship's hull.

This sudden action prompted the Spartans to aim their weapons at Halsey, "Woah! Hold on now." Glassman tried to diffuse the situation before anything bad happened. "What happened?"

"The artifact, Forerunner, is talking to the Infinity's engines, also Forerunner. But it is also communicating with the other systems as well." Halsey explained.

"Even the life support systems…" Spartan Alonso said.

"But only the engines are Forerunner, the rest are human." Glassman stated.

"Indeed, but the artifact is reaching out to them. And it and the engines are transmitting…"

"To Requiem." Spartan Yuang finished the sentence.

"Your captain and you came to study the planet and its peoples; instead something in the planet is studying you." Halsey said.

"The poles…the sudden charge of energy…" Glassman began to put the pieces together. "A lighthouse…"

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe <strong>

UNSC Army Troopers were pinned down in the docks, taking cover behind crates and shipping cargo crates. They were surrounded by Water Tribe soldiers who bended water ice daggers at them, the troopers were more than capable of engaging with the tribesmen but they could be swept away at any moment if they stepped on a puddle of water.

"What do we do!?" One army trooper yelled at his commander. The commander was going to make a tough decision; he would have to engage them in open fire. There was no other choice.

"Open fire!" The commander yelled, the soldiers came out of cover and opened fire at the tribesmen with their Assault Rifles. Bullets hit flesh as the troopers fire at the Water Tribe soldiers, each of them falling on the wooden floor of the docks dead. The tribes counter by turning water into ice shields, the full-metal jacket bullets hit the icy defense cracking it.

The tribesmen push forward enough to be able to bend the waters below the docks and creating a wave big enough to engulf much of the docks washing up several of the Army troopers into the bay's waters. The troopers reload their guns quickly before the tribesmen get to them. The tribesmen arrive where the Army troopers took cover, still reloading their wet guns. This seemed like the end for these UNSC soldiers, but before the soldiers met their icy demise a powerful gust of wind struck the tribesmen into the bay.

It was the Avatar, coming to their rescue along with her friends and Fireteam Majestic. "Soldiers!" DeMarco yelled.

"Thank God you got here on time, Spartan. I was almost turned into a popsicle." The squad commander said.

"What are you guys doing here?!" Korra asked. "Why is the UNSC attacking?!"

"We were sent on a retrieval mission, but our bird was hit." The squad commander pointed at a downed pelican dropship that had crashed into the warehouse that met with the docks. "They froze our the pelican's engine when we got close to the shipyard, the pilot couldn't control the dropship and we crashed."

"A retrieval mission?" Mako asked.

"Yeah, for Avatar Korra."

"What?" Korra asked.

"So you're not here to annex the Water Tribe?" Asami asked the squad commander.

"No, that's not our job. It's theirs." The squad commander pointed upward at the sky, there were only two frigates slowly hovering above the Water Tribe.

"The frigates?" Thorne asked.

"No." They kept looking, it was clear until the high clouds were ripped open and a gigantic UNSC Autumn-Class heavy cruiser entered atmosphere just above the mesosphere of the planet. It was immense, blotting out the Sun with its titanic size. It had to stay really high up in the atmosphere since heavy cruisers were not made to orbit planets in low atmosphere. "It's the UNSC Song of the East."

"No way man." Madsen said as he looked at the powerful ship, the UNSC frigates moved towards the heavy cruiser, almost forming a perfect line with the immense vessel.

"What are they going to do!?" Hoya asked the squad commander.

"A massive ODST drop throughout the Southern Water Tribe, the UNSC Pillar of Autumn II will do the same in the Northern Water Tribe…actually it already did by now. The Song of the East was a bit late."

"Spirits…" Korra said. "We have to get back to Republic City now more than ever!"

* * *

><p><strong>Inside Requiem<strong>

Supreme Commander Jul 'Mdama walked through the unlocked gates of the Forerunner relic, as common for Forerunner architecture the place was magnificent in beauty and technological prowess. "Mdama placed his hand on top of a panel and saw everything he needed to do to exterminate the humans and make the traitorous Arbiter pay for his crimes against the Gods.

"Gek." 'Mdama called to his second in command, Commander Gek 'Lhar. "The machine, it is the way to immortality."

"How so sir?" Gek asked.

"Behold…" 'Mdama then ran his hand over the spherical control panel to reveal a hologram of the machine's purpose and connection to the commander of Requiem. "…there is a way and we are the light."

Gek looked at the hologram of the device and saw one flaw, "It needs human activation, a special human." 'Lhar said.

"I have already taken care of the arrangements." Several Promethean Knights teleported into the room, "The holy warriors of the living god, of the God of War, have come to our aid."

"Genius." Gek understood his plan as the Knights showed them an orange hologram that depicted the complete layout of the UNSC Infinity.


	8. Farthest Outpost

**Earth Kingdom**

Three pelicans landed within UNSC base codename: Washington, their engines dying and their gates opening allowing three squads of marines to exit them respectively. Captain Lasky of the UNSC Infinity exited one of the pelican dropships with a M6H Magnum handgun in his right hand, with him was Commander Sarah Palmer.

One of the marines had a communications backpack on his back and tried to communicate with the base's dispatcher line. Nothing responded to his hails. "Sir, nothing." The marine informed the captain.

Lasky looked around; they had landed in the landing dock that fed the forward operations base. It was derelict, the only thing around were just several equipment crates and the occasional forklift. Lasky led the three marine squads towards one of the walls that connected to the operations wing of the base.

"Pilots, I want you to leave as soon you hear trouble. Circle the base in case of survivors." Captain Lasky ordered the pelican pilots and they acknowledged.

"Place looks deserted." Palmer said as she ripped the door off its hinges allowing the marines to enter the inner complex. They checked their corners, all lights were off and the marines had to use their flashlights.

"There were more soldiers stationed here than in Galileo base had scientists, there must be survivors." Lasky replied looking around the metal corridors. Nothing much, but at least the emergency lights had come back to power and lighted a few areas of the hallways.

"I got movement." One of the marines said looking at his helmet's HUD; his motion tracker blipped three green lights, friendlies, moving around to their right, where the communications wing is. "Three friendlies, moving really awkwardly to the right of us."

"They must be wounded." Lasky said. "Medic, ready up for treatment."

"Ready sir." The squad medic replied.

They continued on towards the comm wing, always ready for any sort of hostile engagement. This base housed one of the most powerful ODST regiments that the fleet above Requiem had to offer and they were complemented by a handful of Earth Kingdom soldiers and workers. It had to take a massive force to even give them a fight.

"Captain, I just got a call from Lieutenant Dillon above in the Infinity Bridge." Palmer informed.

"What is it?" Lasky asked.

"He said that the fleet has been ordered to attack the Water Tribes with a full on ODST deployment." Palmer informed.

"What the hell!? Who ordered it!?" Lasky responded, he hadn't ordered any assault on the tribes; they were still trying to find a way to prevent this of happening. But before Palmer could answer loud screeching noises came from the dark, unlighted areas that surrounded them. The marines readied their weapons.

"Movement! All around us!"

"Friendlies!?"

"I don't know… their IFF tags are all messed up! I can't…shit!" The marines yelled as he looked upward to find a dead ODST hanging from his entrails just next to them.

"Son of a bitch." Palmer said as she looked at the ODST's horrified face. Something terrible had happened here…

"More movement…this time their coming towards us!"

"Move! We can't stay out here!" Lasky ordered them; they rushed through the dark metal corridors looking for an exit.

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

The UNSC Song of the East and its escorting frigates, the UNSC Resolve and the UNSC Jefferson, initiated their first wave of ODST drops. Hundreds of orbital insertion pods rained from the colossal ships towards the Water Tribe city below. Immediately upon landfall, the ODSTs established defenses and made their way towards town square.

They took several key positions, expecting a heavy counter-attack from Unalaq's forces. Several gun emplacements mostly made up of AIE-486H Machine Gun turrets that were capable of ripping through infantry and light armor like a hot knife through butter. The citizens of the city panicked upon the space men arrival, an act like this one made several citizens to engage at the marines. Using their water bending skills to attack the ODSTs, mostly only causing a nuisance at the advanced soldiers.

Korra was aboard a ship sailing off from her homeland as she witnessed the orbital fall of the ODSTs upon the city that saw her birth. Whoever had ordered this to happen would pay dearly; she turned to look at her friends who were also saddened by the UNSC's actions.

"This is getting from bad to worse." Korra said to her boyfriend, Mako. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"I'm sure that once we get back to Republic City, we can talk to the President and the Council to help us." Mako replied.

"I just…don't see how we can stop this from getting worse." Korra said.

"Remember when we went against the Didact? How impossible that looked, you defeated him. You stopped him from destroying Earth and saved us from the Flood at the same time." Mako told Korra. "We can do this."

Korra smiled and hugged Mako, this is what she needed. A little motivational speech.

The Spartan-IVs who accompanied Korra and co. couldn't understand why Captain Lasky would order something like this. Invading a human world that wasn't in any way affiliated to the Insurrection? Something's going behind closed doors.

"You think Captain Lasky ordered this?" Madsen asked his fireteam leader, DeMarco.

"I don't know, Madsen, but what I know is that we still have a mission and that is to keep Korra and her friends safe." DeMarco replied. "Once we get to Republic City we'll get some answers."

"Or more questions." Grant stated.

"This is all kinds of mess up, DeMarco." Hoya said. "Are we going to fight our own people!?"

"We aren't Hoya; we are going to solve this." Thorne intervened. "There is more than just bad politics going on out here."

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

The ship arrived safely to capital of the United Republic, Republic City, there Korra and her friends were met by Chief Beifong.

"Good to see you made it out in one piece; I heard what happened in the Southern Water Tribe." Lin said.

"Yeah, we need to prevent this war from escalating any further." Korra replied. "Can you help us meet the President and the Council?"

"I'll do my best." Lin responded. The Spartan-IVs followed Korra towards the municipal buildings while the others stayed and breathed the fresh republican air of the city.

"You think that the President will listen?" Bolin asked his brother.

"He has to." Mako replied. "Right now I need some sleep."

"Having nightmares again Mako?" Asami asked.

"It's just that the stress of everything going on is a bit too much for me." Mako answered as he took off his long jacket. "I think a good night's rest will fix it."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

Spartan Yuang of Fireteam Crimson knocked on the metallic door, it opened. Inside was Dr. Catherine Halsey, sitting by her lonesome in a small confined room. A holding cell of sorts.

"Dr. Halsey, Spartan Yuang I'll be your personal escort for the day." Yuang informed the elder lady.

"You knock at least, most people don't." Halsey replied, the lights of the corridor behind Yuang blinked signaling how the artifact was still connected to the ship.

"Looks like we better get you to work." Yuang stated, the Spartan escorted Halsey towards her work station. The Infinity had recovered from its shock but was still vulnerable.

Spartan Yuang watched as Halsey worked on the artifact, "Dr. Halsey, I understand you worked with the original Spartans." He said.

"I am afraid most of it is still classified." Halsey brushed him off.

"But the original Spartans were conscripted…as children." Yuang stated.

"I did what was required." She replied.

"But why children?" The Spartan-IV asked.

"What do you think? " Halsey quickly responded.

"Well it could've given them an edge…starting that young. Not knowing better."

"There were reasons behind the choices we had to make…psychological and physiological."

"Psychological? So you think we are not capable of being Spartans?" Yuang asked, believing that Halsey had little faith on the SPARTAN-IV Program and its members.

"Perhaps some of you are closer than others." Halsey casually replied, still analyzing the artifact. She then received a message from her notepad.

**\\: Doctor Halsey**

**\\: We have much to discuss.**

**\\: You need to know the truth about a great many things.**

"If you'll excuse me." Halsey said to the Spartan, focusing on the message she had receive.

* * *

><p><strong>Earth Kingdom<strong>

Lasky and his squadron of UNSC marines entered what seemed to be the main communications room, the computers and uplink devices were in one piece but offline as the rest of the base. Palmer looked around for any trouble, holding her Battle Rifle steady and staying frosty. There was a holo desk on one side of the room; it was covered in blood and pieces of flesh.

"Ugh." Was the only thing that came out of Palmer once the odor of death and burnt flesh entered her nose. Wearing a helmet became more favorable for the Spartan Commander.

"Doors' shut." One of the marines stated as he and the others torched the doors shut, they had been chased all the way here by unidentified hostiles. They had been firing standard issue Assault Rifles and magnums at them on their way to the main communications room.

"Get these back-up generators online, I want to know what the hell is going on with my fleet." Captain Lasky ordered the marines; someone had told his ships to attack the water tribes without his authorization.

The lights of the main comms room flicked back on when the marines turned the back-up generators on. The computers came back to life and the satellite system was operable once more. Captain Lasky wasted no time to hail the Infinity, the ship responded back as fast as possible once the signal was analyzed.

Roland's AI form appeared on top of the bloodied holo desk, "Well…this looks fun." Roland said as he looked at the blood he stood upon.

"Roland, who told the Song of the East and the Pillar of Autumn II to attack the Water Tribes!?" Lasky asked, furiously wanting to know who had done this.

"Sorry Captain, the Infinity has been on the dark ever since the artifact messed with the ship's engines. Whoever sent out that order was not inside the Infinity or I would've known about it." Roland replied.

Lasky sighed, this was still a mystery and he couldn't do anything about it until he returned to the Infinity. "Sir, we need this base secured." Palmer reminded him, he nodded in agreement.

"Roland, initiate Response Protocol: Alpha-Epsilon. We got a level 3 infection down here." Lasky told the AI.

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

Korra entered the main hall of the city hall, there was the Council minus Tenzin already waiting for her. With them was the United Republic's main executive, President Raiko.

"Avatar Korra, it is an honor to finally meet you." President Raiko said as he shook hands with Korra.

"Likewise Mr. President." Korra replied, the office of the United Republic President had been established after Amon decided to cooperate with the government. The President was a non-bender and shared power with the Council. "As you all know the Northern and Southern Water Tribe have been invaded by the UNSC in response of Chief Unalaq's declaration of war."

"We have been looking upon this matter carefully." The representative of the Fire Nation said.

"The actions taken inside Water Tribe borders must be dealt by the Water Tribe." The representative of the Earth Kingdom added. "But it has come to our attention that many of Unalaq's forces are also entering Fire Nation waters."

"They could be starting a whole new war." Tarrlok, as representative of the Northern Water Tribe. "I'm severely disappointed by the actions taken by Unalaq, I expected better from him."

"Then will you help us to stop this war?" Korra asked.

"I'm afraid that we won't interfere while this conflict stays within the two warring powers." The President said.

"What?! But…!"

"Our decision is final, Avatar Korra." The representative of the Earth Kingdom said.

Korra exited the main hall angry; the only thing that mattered to these people was politics. They saw the big picture but refused to do anything about it.

"From the look on your face…nothing happened." DeMarco said once Korra left the city hall.

"This is stupid, now what do we do?" Korra asked the Spartans, but they were as lost as she was. Then Ambassador Zuko and General Iroh exited the city hall as well.

"Korra!" General Iroh said once he spotted her. "It's good seeing you."

"You too! It's an honor seeing you again Ambassador." Korra said once she saw Zuko.

"You have grown into quite the Avatar, Korra." Zuko said. "We just came from a meeting with the President; the south is in dire need of aid."

"I already tried in speaking with both President Raiko and the Council, they won't help." Korra replied. "Is there any way that you could help us?"

"I couldn't, the President would have me court marshaled before I even sent a fleet to the south." Iroh said.

"But I know who could help." Zuko stated. "The Fire Lady in the Fire Nation would gladly come to your aid."

"The Fire Lady?" Korra asked.

"But you will have to speak to her yourself; she will listen to the Avatar." Zuko replied. Korra turned to the Spartans.

"I have to go to the Fire Nation right now." Korra informed them. "They can at least try to reason with the UNSC."

"I will go with you, going through the Mo Ce Sea while the UNSC frigates patrol around will dangerous. After all I am your escort." Thorne said, Korra agreed.

"Stay with the others." Korra said to DeMarco.

"Don't worry about them." DeMarco assured her. The plan was set and Korra needed to prepare for the journey to the Fire Nation, but she was tired so she decided to rest for the night. Mako had rented an apartment in the city thanks to his wage as a detective in the Police force.

Korra was sitting with Mako, resting their bodies from days of stress. Spartan Thorne stood in front of a window, looking at cityscape as the sun hid into the horizon and day turned into night. He too needed to rest for the trip tomorrow. "I'm going with the others to the barracks, good night." Thorne told Mako and Korra, he left them alone as he shut the door behind him.

"So the Fire Nation?" Mako asked his girlfriend.

"They are the only ones willing to lend a hand." Korra replied. "I couldn't even talk to Major Wright about anything this morning."

"I returned to my desk job in the morning, nothing new aside from new bad guys to throw behind bars." Mako said. "Then President Raiko and Major Wright came to my office."

"They did? Why?" Korra asked.

"Well…they kinda knew we have a relationship and asked me what you had planned after you talked with the Council." Mako explained.

"You didn't tell them right?" Korra asked again but this time the only thing she got in response was silence. "You told them…"

"I'm sorry but it was my job, I swore an oath to the President!"

"You betrayed us! You betrayed me!" Korra responded angrily. "I can't believe this! And what are they going to do!?"

"They said that… Wright was going to send at least two UNSC corvettes over to the Fire Nation tomorrow morning." Mako informed her. She quickly stood up angrily and kicked the tea table in front of them into the wall.

"I can't trust you with anything Mako!" Korra yelled. "I don't understand why…!"

"This doesn't work." Mako said.

"What doesn't work?" Korra quickly asked.

"Us…our roles, our relationship…it doesn't work." Mako replied, as he stood up to face her.

"Are you…are you breaking up with me?"

"I'm afraid so." Mako said. "I'm sorry." Before he could at least look at her in the eyes, Korra had already left the apartment. The door was wide opened as Mako realized where she had gone. Bolin stood in front of the door, having been pushed aside by Korra as she left running.

"Whoa, I've never seen her as mad as this. What happened?" Bolin asked his big brother.

Mako took a big breath, "I broke up with the Avatar."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ**

Spartan Thorne looked at his Assault Rifle, it was squeaky clean and all of the parts had been carefully been placed back together. The weapon was the workhorse line of the UNSC Defense Force ever since he had memory, having seen action ever since the Insurrection began way back years ago.

"Hey Thorne, better get some shut eye." DeMarco told the younger Spartan as he relaxed on his bed, which had fallen on the floor from the sheer weight of his armor. There wasn't armory in base to take the armor off…so they had to sleep in it for the night.

"Just double checking my gun." Thorne said. Then he saw Korra standing at the entrance of the barrack, her eyes red as if she had been crying for a while. "Korra?"

"We have to go." She said.

"What the?" DeMarco said as he turned his head to see the young Avatar standing there with a pistol in her hands.

* * *

><p><strong>Within Requeim<strong>

Gek entered the majestic room where the machine of the living gods resided in, there the Didact's Hand, Jul 'Mdama awaited.

"They are ready sire." Gek informed his Supreme Commander.

"Good, execute."

* * *

><p><strong>Mo Ce Sea<strong>

Korra and Spartan Thorne boarded a motor boat, thanks to Varrick, that could take them all the way to the Fire Nation. Korra drove the boat as fast as she could while drying off some tears coming from her eyes.

"Something wrong?" Thorne asked her.

"Nothing." Korra replied, Thorne abandoned the subject not wanting to have any problems with her. When he looked above he saw UNSC corvette hovering just beyond from Republic City's coastline which they had left about an hour ago. It was a cold night and the only thing that shone on them was the full moon.

Thorne's ears then heard a well familiar sound, "Sparrowhawks." He said.

"Sparrow what?" Korra asked.

"Hawks!" Thorne shouted as three UNSC AV-22 Sparrowhawks VTOL attack aircrafts zoomed past them. The sound of their gyros could be heard from far away and Thorne knew that this could only mean trouble.

The hawks hovered in front of them, "Major Wright and Lieutenant Lee have ordered that all Spartans to return back to the Infinity and that the Avatar surrender herself to the UNSC Military Police." One of the pilots of the hawks said through the hawk's speakers.

"I don't think so!" Korra responded.

"No wait!" Thorne yelled, Korra bended a big enough tide of water that brought down one of the three hawks into the ocean destroying it. The other two responded, firing their machine gun turrets at the Korra and Thorne. Thorne acted quickly and manifested a hard-light shield from his wrist protecting them both from the onslaught of bullets. But the boat was not as lucky.

The boat sunk along with its passengers, Korra entered the Avatar State making a water tornado out of the sea and catching one of the hawks out of the air. Thorne felt something move beneath the water as Korra fought off the Sparrowhawks.

"Oh shit!" Thorne shouted as an immense being rose up from the waters; it was dark purple in color and had multiple glowing yellow eyes and dozens of arms. The hawk fired at the monsters just to be grabbed and obliterated by it. Korra focused her bending into one single attack, firing an immense fire blast at the beast. Thorne fired his Assault Rifle at it, but both attacks did nothing but anger the dark spirit further.

The dark spirit attacked them both; with its gigantic size it hurled its opened maw and swallowed them whole. One of the pilots of the hawks survived the encounter and floated on top of the waters. He saw the beast leave; the pilot then contacted a pelican transport back to base.


	9. Origins I

**Somewhere On Requiem**

Korra's eyes slowly opened to the lights of the sun, it was morning and she had washed up on shore. Her eyes drifted for a while before she saw four figures stand above her, believing she was going to be attacked she jolted back up and air bended the four people away.

She was still weak from her encounter with the Sparrowhawks and the Leviathan-like dark spirit in the deep ocean. "Avatar Korra, we are here to help!" One of the persons said. Korra was losing her footing, slowly slipping back into unconsciousness.

"Who…who's Avatar Korra?" Korra said before falling on the beach sand into a deep sleep once more. The strange people, who wore a vestment akin to that of the ancient Fire Sages worried for Korra's well-being and quickly went to help her. One of them noticed something coming from the shore.

The Fire Sage walked towards it, it looked like a metallic…hand. Then it opened grabbing her by the collar scaring her dearly. Out of the waters came out Spartan Thorne, his armor damaged by sea water entering through the broken areas done by the dark spirit. He looked at the Fire Sage eye-to-eye but he couldn't say anything but cough water out of his lungs into the sands.

The Fire Sage helped the wounded Spartan-IV up but the warrior was too tired, it was then that she noticed dark purple lines covering his face. Going through the veins in his body, it looked bad…really bad.

Korra and Thorne were taken to what seemed to be a Fire Temple, there an old lady meditated to a statue of the Great Spirit known as Agni. "We found the Avatar on the shore, she looks pretty beat up, she also doesn't remember who she is." One of the sages informed the old woman.

"Put her here." The old sage told them, they placed Korra on top of a marble table; the old sage used firebending to 'scan' Korra's bruised body. "Dark powers have infected the Avatar's physical body and spiritual being."

The she noticed another of the sages helping the Thorne walk into the temple, the old sage smiled upon seeing one of the Star-Lords of legend but then grimaced when she saw the dark lines going through his exposed flesh. Dark energy had resided within him as well. "He is too inflicted with this evil energy." She said.

"What do we do?"

"The Avatar must connect herself with her past lives in order to regain the memory she has lost." The old sage stated. "Put her and the Star-Lord into the spiritual waters for healing, it is the only thing that can save both him and the Avatar's spirit."

Korra and Thorne were both lowered into the spirit water within the Fire Temple, upon touch the water reacted to Korra. Healing light rushed down Korra's spine, entering her body and beginning the purifying process. It took a bit longer for the water to enter Thorne's body. It completely ignored the MJOLNIR armor, the block was actually Thorne's spirituality. There was little to none of it, but the spiritual water did its job nonetheless.

"What if it doesn't work?" One of the younger sages asked the old wise woman. She looked at the young sage.

"It is up to the Avatar for the waters to take effect, she will have to remember her past or be destroyed by the dark forces that have infiltrated her being." The wise old sage replied.

Korra then opened her eyes; she was floating in what seemed to be a limitless space that surrounded her. Then she saw someone she didn't recognize standing in front of her, it was actually her Avatar Spirit manifesting itself before her.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I am you." The spirit replied, mimicking Korra's appearance.

"But who am I?" Korra replied, and then the Avatar Spirit changed its appearance now becoming Avatar Aang.

"You are the Avatar." It said.

"I don't know what that is." Korra responded, still not remembering who she was.

"In order to remember, you must regain connection with your Avatar Spirit." Now it took the form of Avatar Roku and then Avatar Kyoshi. "If you don't darkness will engulf the world, you will die and our era will end."

"How do I regain my connection?" Korra asked, now she spoke with Avatar Kuruk, a more ancient Avatar.

"Go back…return to the beginning. To the origins of our era…find Raava." Avatar Kuruk responded. Then a force pulled the space around Korra into a singular light. Korra turned to see the point of light, in it stood a fierce but yet young looking man.

"Are you…Raava?" Korra asked, not remembering his face.

"No, but I can help you find her. My name is Forthencho and I will show how I became the First Avatar."

Then Korra began to see through Forthencho's eyes as the world around her turned into something different and strange to her. But she was now one with her past self.

* * *

><p><strong>More Than 100,000 Years Ago<strong>

Forthencho was a young man now, running through what looked like corridors of an advanced technological base. He was holding onto what seemed to be a holopad as he rushed through the hallways.

"You are late, Forthencho." An old man said to the young Forthencho once entering the war room. "Yprin has already given her information on what seemed to be our cradle world."

"Indeed, you better have some heavy stuff if you want to beat my reasoning, Forthencho." Yprin Yprikushma said she was quite the woman being as tall and as blocky as any of the highest male warriors within Humanity's armed forces, after all she was the Political and Morale Commander of humanity.

"You must understand that Erde-Tyrane can't be the cradle world, I have findings of several ancient structures throughout many different worlds. We could've emerged from anyone of them before the dark age." Forthencho stated putting his holopad on the desk before them.

"Your findings are quite interesting, young man, but Yprin's information and proofs can only dictate that Erde-Tyrane is indeed the cradle world. We cannot argue with her on this subject, even less now that she has discovered the Primordial and brought it back here to Charum Hakkor." The elder replied.

"A decision that I have given my opinion on as grave mistake, but will the council at least review my findings?" Forthencho asked.

"We shall." The elders left the room with Forthencho's data leaving him and Yprin alone.

"Once more you best me." Forthencho said to the victorious Yprin.

"Don't let yourself hang so low, Forthencho, at least you have the elders' favoritism when it comes to warfare." Yprin replied as she prepared her data logs and pads to leave to her station.

"Our conflict with our galactic neighbors has been escalating through the past decades, Yprin, I've been part of it for a small time." Forthencho said, believing that he was part of the grander picture.

"The Parasite has already ravaged many worlds under the empire, and now we have the Forerunners to deal with. You have been commanding our naval forces very well…I've even heard that the council is considering in promoting you." Yprin said as she exited the room, Forthencho followed.

"Really? I've not been notified."

"The news is as new to me as they are to you. You better prepare for what's to come, my research awaits me." She left the wondering Forthencho alone with his thoughts.

Later that day, Forthencho wandered the opened fields of Charum Hakkor, the beauty of humanity's capital world astounded the young naval man even to this day. Several ships flew off-world, to venture into the howling dark to possible never return. Humanity had been struck gravely by the Flood throughout many centuries, trying to root out the parasite wherever it hid.

Forthencho then got the feeling that something was watching him from a distance; he turned to see what it was. Nothing but air and trees, this disturbed him but he ignored it for more pleasant thoughts. He would be returning to space in a couple of days and wanted to experience some calm as much as he could.

"_Forthencho…_" A voice called his name, the tall young man looked around him once more. This time he insited on the voice that spoke his name.

"Show yourself." He said, but nothing responded. He raised an eyebrow in wonder but decided to leave the calm fields and return to the naval base to continue with his work.

"The Forerunners are not to be underestimated, they know that our forces are entering their borders and will not hesitate in attacking us." Throm Kahur, an admiral within and a peer of Forthencho's stated during a naval meeting to discuss of the possible thread of the Forerunner Ecumene posed to the human empire.

"This is highly unlikely to happen; the Forerunners are not so barbaric to do so." Another admiral replied, his name was Unvar. "We have done no wrong on any of their planets."

"We have compromised their frontier; they have the right to engage us." Forthencho said, agreeing with Throm on this matter. "They will see it as an act of aggression."

"How can you be so sure?"

"The ships leading the charge into Forerunner territory are battleships; they will not see it as a peaceful exchange." Forthencho explained.

"What about the San 'Shyuum? Will they not help us on the matter of war?" Admiral Zuruk asked.

"They will, I guarantee it." Throm answered. "Their ships have already met ours in the frontlines against the Flood and will gladly do so against the Forerunners."

"We must avoid war with the Ecumene! It will only guarantee our extinction!" Unvar insisted.

"It is inevitable, the only thing we can try in doing is reasoning with them beforehand." Zuruk replied to the old admiral. "The Parasite threatens everyone."

"I will speak with the Forerunners; try to convince them in joining our cause." Forthencho volunteered himself. "At least give us some time before armed conflict."

"Wise for a young age, Forthencho, the council has chosen you well." Throm said. "The responsibilities of being the Lord of Admirals will be on great hands."

"Then it is decided, ask the Forerunner leadership for temporary asylum. Do what is necessary." Unvar said.

"I will." Forthencho left the meeting room and walked towards his flagship. He was ready to enter Forerunner territory and speak with his equal there. On his way towards the shipyard he felt that strange sensation once again.

He again ignored it and entered his ship, the young Forthencho ordered his naval officers to head towards the Forerunner planet known as Lumbering Silence in hopes of establishing some sort of alliance with the Forerunners.

Forthencho's ship entered the system; strangely he wasn't met with any Forerunner defensive line or naval blockade.

"Sir, the scans have no found any Forerunner ship in the star system." A naval bridge officer reported.

"Thermal scans on the planet?" Forthencho asked.

"Just a couple."

"Hmm…" Forthencho murmured, there was something off about this whole star system. It was on the Forerunner frontier but even the most distant of the Ecumene worlds was populated by millions of Forerunners. "I'm going into the planet, ready a handful of soldiers to accompany me."

* * *

><p><strong>Lumbering Silence<strong>

The dropship landed on a green pasture zone filled with many alien fauna and little to no technological intervention. Forthencho had never been on a Forerunner world before so this was new to him; he looked around the beautiful green forest and blue sky. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Where is the nearest complex?" Forthencho asked one of his soldiers.

"A mile due west, sir."

"Then let's go, they must've gotten us in their scanners by now." They hiked a bit until they got to an immense complex; it had a spire in the middle of it. It didn't look Forerunner in nature…it resembled the citadel back on Charum Hakkor.

"Ready your bending and weapons, we will go in." Forthencho ordered, his soldiers preparing their guns and some of them surrounding themselves in water. Now close to the entrance of the building, Forthencho ran his fingers on the metal walls of the complex.

"Precursor…" He said in a low voice. "Energy signals everywhere…we are not on just any Forerunner world."

"Is this what I think it is?" One of the soldiers asked.

"It's a beacon." Forthencho replied. "A gateway…" Then an explosion was heard on the distance. The newly appointed Lord of Admirals and his men ran to see what it was and what they found took them completely by surprise.

Two semi-ethereal beings of great power and immense size battled through the green plains, struggling between each other's tendrils. They were odd in shape, looking strange even for Forthencho's eyes. "_**Help! Help me!**_" The dark one called on Forthencho and his men, it seemed to be in a lot of pain.

"_Do not intervene!_" The lighter one responded as it struggled to keep the dark one in its grip.

"_**Save me! She has tormented me for ten thousand years!**_"

Forthencho knew better than to intervene in alien affairs but something in him told him to aid the being in pain. So he did.

"Men fire your weapons at the light one!" Forthencho ordered his soldiers to open fire, rounds busted through the air and struck the semi-ethereal being. At first it did nothing, but Forthencho was not someone that would give up so easily, so he did the next best thing. He concentrated deeply, gathering enough air inside his lungs he took position and fired a lightning bolt out of his fingers pointing at the dominant being. The lightning bolt struck hard on the alien being, forcing it to release its dark twin.

"_Ahhh!_" The light being yelled in pain as it backed away to tend its wounded body. The dark one looked at it and then at the humans that had liberated it.

"_**Thank you humans; you have performed a great service for the Ancients.**_" The dark being said as it retreated back into the forested valley and out of sight. Forthencho walked towards the weakened light being and took out his personal weapon and aimed at the being.

"_Do you realize what you have done?!_" The being yelled.

"I do, I have saved a being from terror." Forthencho replied.

"_You are gravely mistaken; I was keeping him under control._" The being responded.

"In what authority? You have no power here." Forthencho stated.

"_You don't even realize who I am._" The gigantic being said.

"Should I?"

"_Yes, my name is Raava and the being you set free was Vaatu. He is, like me, a being of superior power, but unlike me he is a force of immeasurable evil and chaos. I am the force of order and peace; we have been at each other's throats since the beginning of time…fighting for the fate of this galaxy. For the past ten thousand years I have been keeping him in check until you came along._"

"By setting him free…I have released chaos into the universe?" Forthencho asked.

"_Precisely, and it is all your fault._"

Now this is something Forthencho did not expect…at all. He had only been Lord of Admirals for just a handful of hours and he had already put the galaxy in dire circumstances. Humanity was now in danger from three fronts, the Forerunners, the Flood and now Vaatu.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Time<br>**

**Fire Temple**

Korra was still deep asleep, the spiritual waters still healing her body and spirit. Her eyes moved within her eyelids and her mouth opened.

"Raava…I've found you." Korra whispered. On the other side of the spirit water pool was Spartan Thorne who was being healed as well. By being in the same waters, Korra's spirit was connected to Thorne's.

In a way, the Spartan-IV was experiencing everything Korra was seeing, feeling and even thinking to a degree. It was only a matter of time before Korra understood what was being the Avatar.

* * *

><p><strong>Earth Kingdom<strong>

Lasky and Palmer saw several AV-14 Hornets circle the area above the base; Roland had sent several parties to contain the infection. That included flamethrower squadrons and special cleansing groups.

"So…who wants to play poker while we wait?" One of the marines asked.

"Give some of them cards." Another replied, suddenly something began to bang on the sealed door. They quickly stood up and readied their weapons.

"Shit…lots of movement."

"Ready…" Palmer said aiming her Battle Rifle at the door, the banging intensified and gargles and screams could be heard behind it. Tension rose within the soldiers' minds as the coming terror knocked on their door.

It was only a matter of time.


	10. Origins II

**100,000 Years Ago**

**Planet Lumbering Silence**

The Lord of Admirals had ordered that all ground units on the planet to return to the flagship and await further orders. He would stay groundside a bit longer, since he had met a new friend. Forthencho walked towards the ancient Precursor spire that he had first discovered once he arrived to the planet.

"Tell me, why would the Forerunners leave this world unprotected?" Forthencho asked as he ran his hands on the metallic exterior of the spire. The spirit known as Raava looked at him.

"_The Forerunners that once inhabited this planet left after the discovery of the trans-dimensional spires. This is the northern spire; we are currently on the north pole of this world._" Raava explained.

"Trans-dimensional spires?"

"_Indeed, Vaatu and I have battled through many dimensions, and through many lifetimes. Now he is gone, and I need to find him before Harmonic Convergence._"

"What is that?"

"_It is the galactic event when all of the ancient installations aligned with the galactic center. It is an event that will feed Vaatu with unimaginable power and this galaxy will be thrown into disarray. I just hope I can track Vaatu before it's too late._"

"Look, let me help you find him." Forthencho told the ancient being.

"_I don't need your help human, I will track Vaatu myself._" Raava responded, leaving Forthencho as she disappeared into the sky. The newly appointed Lord of Admirals sighed; he looked at the spire…and walked away.

"Bridge, I need transport back to the ship." He said through his communications ear piece.

* * *

><p><strong>Inside the flagship<strong>

Forthencho looked at the planet below them, the only he had found on it were two ancient beings of power and he had helped in releasing the bringer of chaos. This wouldn't sit well with the council.

He then noticed that this ship, the Lightbringer, had been scanned by something in planet when he was in his reconnaissance run. "Officer, show me the readings obtained from the planet." Forthencho asked.

"Here my lord." They were strange; it didn't look like wavelengths of any sort. It looked like a star map, and it pointed to a planet far from the reaches of the Forerunner Ecumene and the Human Empire. This was quite odd but Forthencho knew there was something to it, the Forerunners would have to wait.

The Lightbringer exited slipspace, the star system was quite desolate. It was binary star system with two twin suns illuminating system. The planet was on a position that could give life, not too far nor too close to its stars. Just perfect, like Erde-Tyrene and Charum Hakkor.

The human flagship orbited the world Lumbering Silence had pointed at, as if it was a lighthouse. Forthencho looked at the planet from his observation deck, it was quite the world. It would be perfect as a farm world to grow food for his people or a place where people affected by the wars could come to safety.

* * *

><p><strong>Unknown Planet<strong>

Once planetside, the Lord of Admirals saw that the world was not as green as he thought. Indeed great monuments of an ancient civilization riddled the landscape as immense towers and skyscrapers. It looked human in a sort of way…

"This is another lost world." Forthencho stated, "Why was I led here?"

Then he heard some bushes move, out of curiosity he went to see what it was. There he found a man…a man floating on the air. Several of them in fact, all wearing yellow-orange robes and had arrow tattoos on their heads. They were collecting fruit from the trees and putting them on baskets.

"Whoa…" Was the only thing that Forthencho could say as he saw these people float without the need for special armor, vehicles or anything like it. They were using air… Forthencho walked towards them. "Hello!" He said.

But as soon as these people saw the tall, armored and clearly over-powering figure that was the Lord of Admirals, they fled scared. "No, wait!" Forthencho yelled, he didn't want to scare them off and wanted to talk to them. He followed these air people through the forest, "I'm friendly!" He yelled again. These people were fast, easily outrunning Forthencho who could easily outrun most human soldiers.

He kept running to catch up with them until he came out of the forest and into a cliff; he halted before he fell into the long drop below. He then noticed that these people flew towards what seemed to be a floating city, build on top a floating rock! No technology, no type of propulsion…it just hovered above the earth.

Then as the floating rock hovered higher into the sky, Forthencho saw that it was not a rock at all but a strange animal that was bigger than a support ship. It was massive, incredible in every meaning of the word.

"Amazing…" Forthencho said upon witnessing such sight. "I have to meet them."

The distance between the cliff he stood and the immense creature was quite a long one; he didn't have any sort of propulsion system or jet pack to carry him there. He only had his firebending and one curious mind.

He then thought, "What if I use my fire as a rocket? That would work." He said to himself. Forthencho took some distance, wanting to gain momentum and enough air to glide towards the creature's edge. "Now!" He yelled, running into the vast emptiness that lay between him and his target and jumped. He felt the breeze strike his naked face, Forthencho then turned his opened hands into fists and firebended hardly into his back and like a rocket glided into the edge of the creature's back.

But instead of landing, Forthencho had bended his fire a bit too hard and had overdone the jump. He crashed into the grassy and surprisingly soft back of the creature. It felt like earth, he stood up and looked around him. It looked like a small forest…remarkable.

Forthencho didn't know exactly where to walk to so he wandered a bit, until he came upon a small village. It was primitive, with only straw huts as homes and no signs of technological machinery on sight. As he walked through the village, Forthencho saw that the people were looking at him with eyes full of worry and awe.

There were several semi-ethereal beings floating around, living along with the humans here. As if they were on perfect harmony, Forthencho smiled as one of these small creatures flew past him. It was a peace he had not seen ever since he left to war.

Forthencho saw three men meditating below a tree, seeing that they were probably the only people he could communicate to he went towards them. "Hello, my name is Forthencho." He greeted the men.

At first they were astounded by Forthencho's appearance, but like the wind their expressions changed clearly and swiftly. The welcomed the Lord of Admirals, with no sign of terror or disdain. "Where did you come from stranger?" One of these wise men asked, it was incredible that they could speak the same language that Forthencho spoke.

"From far away." He sat with them. "I have been searching for peace, and a way to set my people free from war for many years."

"We welcome all those who search for the end of conflict, come please tell us about your travels."

But before Forthencho could relax and speak with the locals, the small spirit-like creatures began to change. Turning from their normal form into a darker and more aggressive state. One of them attacked Forthencho unprovoked, the man from the stars avoided the small beings attack not wanting to hurt it.

Several of the creatures began to attack the peaceful people of the village, turning into monstrous beings these spirits went out of control. Forthencho watched hopelessly as this sanctuary turned into a madhouse. A shadow covered the village, Forthencho saw him…Vaatu watched the chaos consume the small human village. His size doubling since last time Forthencho had seen him.

"Vaatu." Forthencho said upon seeing the spirit of darkness.

"_**So…we meet again, human.**_" Vaatu said once he saw the Lord of Admirals.

"Why is the great spirit of darkness here and not his other half?" One of the wise men asked.

"You know of him?" Forthencho asked.

"Of course, their struggle is legendary. Having come and gone through different worlds." The wise man replied.

"Oh...I will explain later." Forthencho answered the man's previous question and went to stop Vaatu.

"Leave these people; they have done nothing to you." Forthencho told the great being of chaos, while avoiding getting hit himself by these clearly strong beings. One of these dark spirits was about to maul a woman and her child until Forthencho used his firebending to scare it away.

The other dark spirits noticed and went together to attack the Lord of Admirals, but he was not defenseless against them. He took out one of his personal weapons and fired at several of the beings while using his firebending as fallback. Seeing that his minions failed, Vaatu was going in for the attack but was stopped by Raava who had come from seemingly nowhere in Forthencho's rescue.

"_Be gone!_" She cried, hurling Vaatu away. Raava quickly purified the incoming dark spirits, absorbing them into her light.

"_**How are you feeling now that we are split, Raava? I've never been better!**_" Vaatu gloated. "_**When Harmonic Convergence comes I will destroy you forever!**_"

Vaatu then vanished along with the rest of the still corrupted spirits.

Forthencho looked at the scared people and sighed, they were okay and the threat was beaten off for now. "_I told you not to interfere!_" Raava quickly yelled at the Lord of Admirals for coming into this world.

"If I hadn't intervened these people would've died." Forthencho responded.

"Great spirit of light, we thank you for your help but how did you come split from Vaatu?" A wise man asked.

"_Ask him._"

"I was tricked…Vaatu tricked me into believing he was a benevolent being that needed help. I wished I could undo my actions." Forthencho said.

"_It's too late for that; now that Vaatu is free he is turning other spirits dark. The more spirits he turns and the more chaos is spread, the stronger he becomes._"

"I have noticed…he is getting bigger and you are getting smaller." Forthencho said.

"_As darkness grows, light fades._" Raava replied. Forthencho turned to see the residents of the village.

"I am deeply sorry for endangering you all and your village, but I will set all I've done right." Forthencho apologized to the people.

The wise men looked at each other, "How?"

* * *

><p><strong>Requiem<strong>

Requiem, the military capital of the Forerunner Ecumene and residence of the Didact and his forces, the Warrior-Servants. It had been years that the mighty Didact had been strategizing and building forces in this shield world.

When not leading military campaigns, the Didact would spend his leisure time with his wife, the Librarian on the surface of Requiem which had been built to resemble a great habitable world with many sights to see. From the cold tundra to the warm climates of the equator to the hot deserts that seemed to be endless.

It was a paradise for the old Forerunner who had seen his fair share of horrors, but the worst was yet to come. The Didact stood before many holopanels, detailing the ships of the humans entering deeper into Ecumene territory with each passing day. Reports coming from several defensively lines that human ships had been attacking and destroying Forerunner vessels on the frontier.

This was the tip of the iceberg and the Didact knew it. He got his things ready for departure; the Ecumene Council has already heard of this calamity and would take action. As a fair believer of the Mantle of Responsibility, the Didact would not allow them to exterminate this race.

* * *

><p><strong>Forerunner Capital<strong>

The Ecumene Council reunited within the great council chambers of the Forerunner Capital, the heart of the Forerunner Empire. There the most important members of the military, government and civilian rates met to discuss matters of great importance.

"Our enemy moves deeper into our territory with abandon, they must be eradicated." The Librarian said as they saw how the human ships attacked the Forerunner ships and stations.

"Should we take revenge?" The Didact countered. "Abandon the Mantle and all of its philosophy that it has given us these thousand generations?"

"All our plans have been torn asunder." The Librarian replied, the council members murmured to each other on what to do as they heard husband and wife argue on the human threat.

"More reason to not abandon our beliefs, the Mantle is our guidepost in times such as these. We must not falter in following its teachings." The Didact said, several councilmembers agreeing with his remark. "The enemy must be sent home, and taught to stand with the galaxy rather than rail against us and take what they desire! The Mantle shelters all!"

The councilors applauded on the Didact's words of wisdom, next to both husband and wife stood another giant. His armor even more impressive than the Promethean commander, this was Master Builder Faber, the leader of the Forerunner Ecumene. The First Councilor.

"Didact, you make a fair if uncomfortable point, you have my support. Librarian will you likewise follow the Mantle as the Didact suggests?" Faber, with an incredibly deep and serene voice asked the Lifeworker leader.

"Yes, Master Builder." The Librarian replied. Outside the chamber, the Librarian looked on the horizon and watched the sunset on the Forerunner Capital. The Didact exited the chambers, having had some last words with the Master Builder before continuing with their campaign against the humans.

"You are not angry at me?" The Didact asked his wife with a saddened voice, he didn't want to see his wife resent him for today's proceedings.

"We had this discussion a century ago." The Librarian replied.

"Ah…so you are angry at me." The Didact said.

"In the chambers yes, but not now." The Librarian said. "You'll depart to Requiem soon?"

"At dawn, my Prometheans are already there." The Didact replied.

"Already there? You knew the Master Builder would side with you." The Librarian said, hugging her husband tenderly.

"Should we step back to the council chamber?" Didact asked.

"No, I would rather we spend our night out here. There will be fighting enough in the days ahead."

* * *

><p><strong>Unknown Planet<strong>

Forthencho and Raava stood in front of the great beast that carried the air people's city on its back. The Lord of Admirals looked at the majestic creature and spoke clearly what was his intent.

"Great creature, I ask to you to grant me the power of air so that I may defeat Vaatu before it's too late." Forthencho stated.

"You already carry the power of fire; no human has ever held two elements at the same time." The creature spoke with a thundering voice.

"I am not like other humans, I am the Lord of Admirals, I can learn quickly." Forthecho replied.

"Hmm…perhaps, but to do so Raava must hold the power for you until you master it." The intelligent creature said.

"_Ancient one, why would I do that for a human? Especially for one that has caused so much trouble?!_" Raava was reluctant in helping Forthencho this way.

"Raava, I can't allow for more evil to spread to an already warring galaxy. You and I cannot stop Vaatu alone; we have to do this together. This way we might have a chance." Forthencho said.

"_You might be right…_" Raava admitted, "_Very well, I will help you master the power of air._"

"Thank you, and in return I will help you to bring balance to the galaxy."

Raava and Forthencho walked through a foggy forest; Forthencho looked at his wrist computer. There wasn't much time before the Forerunners would deny peace talks and just begin the armed conflict. He had to stop Vaatu before it was too late.

"When is Harmonic Convergence?" Forthencho asked the ancient spirit.

"_Approximately one year your time._" She replied, that would take too long. There wasn't enough time to do anything to stop Vaatu and the Forerunners. He had to do something…

"Then let's get in mastering these new abilities. Let's go to my ship."

* * *

><p><strong>The Lightbringer<strong>

Once in the hangar, Forthencho made it clear to the human council that negotiations with the Forerunners would be next to impossible. Now with the souls of the spirits poisoned by Vaatu and the Parasite moving in so closer, he requested permission to train with Raava for the time being. He was granted the permission, but as long as he returned to the frontlines once it was over.

Being the military leader of the human race, Forthencho knew a lot of fighting but it was mostly through his firebending. He was efficient with it and hoped that these moves could translate well into the airbending he was going to get.

"I am ready, give me the air." Forthencho said.

"_The only way I will be able to give you the element is to go through your body and combine our energies._" Raava responded.

"Then you have done this before?"

"_No, this hasn't even been attempted. It is very dangerous._"

"I have lived many years of constant fighting against the Shaping Sickness, and lived through the horrors of seeing many brave men under my command die in front of me and be turned into monsters. I am ready, give me the air."

Raava flew through the air, going in circles until finally going through Forthencho's body. They mixed their energies and became one as Raava passed through him. It was a feeling of both pain and extreme power that surged through the Lord of Admirals. The crew watching them gazed in pure amazement as their commander-in-chief was becoming something more than just man.

Forthencho picked himself up and looked at his hands, he moved his fist and instead of fire it was air that came out. He could now control the very air that inhabited the ship, manipulating it in a molecular level. "This feels completely different from using fire." He said.

"If you and Vaatu have been fighting for more than ten thousand years, how has none of you destroyed the other?"

"_He cannot destroy light as much as I can destroy darkness, one cannot exist without the other._" Raava answered. "_Even if I defeat Vaatu in this encounter, darkness will grow inside me until he emerges again, the same holds if Vaatu destroys me._"

"That doesn't sound too troubling, even you are vanquished you will return correct?"

"_Yes, but you will probably not survive to see my return. Vaatu will destroy everything you know, and chaos will reign for ten thousand years._"

Fortherncho thought deeply, "If we are going to defeat Vaatu, then we should obtain the other elements."

* * *

><p><strong>Requiem<strong>

The Didact returned to Requiem, he had now the blessing of both the Master Builder and the Ecumene Council to commence the war. The humans' days were numbered as the Didact prepared his forces for a full-on attack and take the battle to the humans. The Warrior-Servants were going to deliver hell, but first tactics were brought into play.

"If this is the way to go, then we require more ships." The Didact said as he looked defensive perimeter around the already besieged frontier worlds.

"Several fortress-class vessels and dreadnaughts will be joining us once we engage the humans and their San 'Shymuun allies." The Promethean commander known as the Strategos said. "A swift victory is assured."

"Not if the humans come supplied with hardlight weaponry like we heard." The Grammarian said, another Promethean commander.

"Then we should attack first; take them out when they are at their most vulnerable." The Didact responded.

After the meeting the Didact went to his private quarters, looking through several more reports about a human going through world after world within and outside Ecumene borders. 'Strange…' the Didact thought. He looked through the files containing information about these worlds. There were a couple, files of the Lumbering Silence and two more planets classified as G-17b and U-43a. All derelict and abandoned worlds, but all those had pattern to them.

They were abandoned after dig sites discovered Precursor artifacts, apparently these findings were to have been reported to the Miners and the Builders for extraction and examination but never arrived. Only the Warrior-Servants ever got reports but never any actual confirmation.

This intrigued the Didact, a human wandering into these planets by accident? No, there was more than this than a curious human and he had to find out what it was.

* * *

><p><strong>Planet G-17b<strong>

Some months passed since the files detailing the world known as G-17b had been re-discovered by the Promethean lord. A Forerunner ship entered the system of G-17 alpha and beta, the binary star system.

Once planetside, the ship's gates opened revealing an imposing figure, the Didact exited the ship and saw the blue sky and green pastures that blessed this world. He saw great ancient monuments decorating the horizons; they were neither Forerunner nor Precursor in origin. Using his armor technology he had tracked the bio signatures of several humans inhabiting the area.

"Hmm…this world has been seeded by humans long ago." The Didact said while scanning the village not too far from where he stood. "But these humans are primitive and not aggressive as their space-faring cousins."

He then noticed a small spirit flying in the air and then standing on his shoulder. It was a small creature that seemed to fancy the Forerunner Promethean. Didact smiled and petted the small creature, "This creature is not fully corporeal, and it is like touching a hard light bridge or conduct." The Didact said.

He continued with his search until he came upon a spire, it was quite massive and old much like the one he had found in the Lumbering Silence. The Didact knew that this one was Precursor built and was deactivated.

"_**Didact.**_" A voice called on to the Forerunner, he turned to see the dark spirit called Vaatu watching him.

"Who are you?" The Didact asked.

"_**A friend.**_" Vaatu said swirling around the Promethean lord. "_**I know of the human you have been searching, his name is Forthencho and he has been looking for a way to kill the Forerunners.**_"

"Explain."

"_**Don't you understand, Promethean? The human seeks the power of the Precursors, to use their mythical machines and usurp the Mantle of Responsibility from their rightful owners…the Forerunners.**_" Vaatu said.

"How can I trust that you are saying the truth, body-less one?" Didact asked.

"_**I have lived for many years, Didact, I have seen many wrongs happen and this human is the vanguard of the end of the Forerunners. Unless…you stop him.**_"

* * *

><p><strong>Planet U-43b<strong>

Forthencho practiced his new bending abilities, earthbending and waterbending. They were much different from firebending and airbending and he still needed to accustom to their difference once in combat.

He had called on to several soldiers to come down from the Lightbringer and rest for a while on the planet. There was little to nothing coming from the council except that the Flood has now spread into Forerunner territory. This was bad for both species; Forthencho only hoped that the Forerunners would notice.

"I feel stronger than ever before, we can beat Vaatu." Forthencho said while moving the earth below his feet with ease.

"Hey, you hear that?" One of the soldiers said, the sound of ship engines were heard.

"I didn't tell the Lightbringer to send more units." Forthencho looked at Raava with confusion, he and the others went to see what it was exiting the forest and coming into a clearing.

It was a Forerunner dropship landing on the pastures; Warrior-Servants exited the ship along what seemed to be their commander. The human soldiers felt fear once they eyed the Forerunner leader; he was tall and broad, being more than eleven feet tall.

"Forerunners." Forthencho said.

"What do we do?" One of the soldiers asked.

"We go after them!" Another responded, the squadron of human soldiers rushed towards the Forerunners to attack the Forerunner forces.

"No wait!" Forthencho yelled but they didn't listen, they were too mad about the Forerunners destroying several human ships to care.

As soon as they came to proximity, the Warrior-Servants attacked. Unleashing a barrage of light from their Lightrifles at the humans. Forthencho and Raava quickly went to stop the carnage.

"Stop!" The Lord of Admirals yelled, the Forerunners fired at him too but he created an earth wall from the ground and threw it at them knocking them off their feet. The Forerunner commander didn't do a thing, he just watched the man controlling the earth as if it was part of him.

Forthencho used air to knock his soldiers as well, stopping the fight momentarily. "There is no reason to fight, yet." Forthencho told his soldiers, they didn't respond but obeyed his orders. The Warrior-Servants lowered their weapons.

"I am Forthencho, the Lord of Admirals, state your business." Forthencho directed his attention to the Forerunner leader.

"I am the Didact, protector of the Ecumene and lord of the Prometheans. I have been searching for you, Lord of Admirals." Didact replied. "You are a threat to the Ecumene and must be put down."

"Our war must wait, Didact, there is a threat coming to us all." Forthencho replied.

"_If we don't stop Vaatu, eternal darkness will engulf this galaxy!_" Raava added.

"You look familiar…spirit." Didact said as he looked at Raava. "Nevertheless, it is my duty to defend the Mantle and the Ecumene. Warriors, destroy these humans." The Didact ordered. The Promethean then left into his dropship and disappeared into the sky.

"Sir! We can do this!" One of the human soldiers yelled.

"_Forthencho, look!_" Raava said, the hillside then began to be populated by dark spirits. They were coming out of the woodwork, each one of them coming into the clearing.

"Do not engage your anger and fury only strengthens the dark spirits!" Forthencho said. The clouds darkened and covered the entire valley.

"_**Hahahhahaha**_."

"_It's Vaatu, he has arrived._"

The spirits came rushing down into the clearing; the Warrior-Servants saw the beings coming towards them. "By the Mantle!" One of the Warrior-Servants cried, they fired their light weapons at them but it did not stop them. The humans joined their Forerunner equivalents and fired at the incoming spirits!

"Stop the evil souls!" A human soldier yelled.

Forthencho knew that it was the anger and hatred from both sides that fed Vaatu, he came in between both sides and used his bending powers to halt them as much as he could.

"Stop your aggressions!" He yelled. "This not working, they are not stopping! Raava we need to combine our energies, that way we can stop this madness!"

Raava flew into Forthencho, combining with him into one being temporarily. Energies of untold power surged with Forthencho, his eyes whitened and a powerful aura of white light surrounded the Lord of Admirals.

He could now command the four elements at once; he hovered into the air as a tornado with embers of fire, rock and water swirling around him.

"**ENOUGH!**" Forthencho and Raava's voice becoming one. "**YOU NEED TO STOP FIGHTING AT ONCE BEFORE YOU DESTROY EACH OTHER!**"

"He's controlling all four elements…" One of the human soldiers said in awe. The Warrior-Servants were too impressed by what they were seeing. Some of the dark spirits were converted back to normal by the intensity of the state that Forthencho was currently in.

"_Forthencho, I have to leave your body before I destroy you._" Raava told his host.

"No…if you leave they will die! We can…agh!" The Lord of Admirals then fainted from the amount of power that rushed through his body. It was too much for him and his body began to free fall.

"_Forthencho!_" Raava screamed, she swooped down and grabbed him before he hit the ground. But he was right, as soon as he went unconscious the fighting resumed and the entire valley was leveled.

Forthencho came back to consciousness; he touched his fore head…. "Agh…" he grunted from the slight headache he had obtained. He stood up and saw that Raava had brought him to a hill far away from the valley. He hadn't noticed, though, that Raava was not with him.

"We have to go back." Forthencho said but was stopped by a titanic Vaatu coming out of the cliff.

"_**Don't bother your human and Forerunner friends have already been annihilated.**_" Vaatu said.

"No!"

"_**Enjoy your last days; see you at the end of times!**_" Vaatu responded, flying off once more victorious.

Forthencho watched the ancient dark spirit leave, but then he heard a small groan. He followed it and found Raava behind some bushes. She looked small and weak, having lost much power now since Vaatu had gained so much ground.

"Raava…" Forthencho sadly said as he carried the small Raava on his hands.

"_I am sorry…_" Raava said with a weak voice. He placed her on his arms and carried her away to safety.

* * *

><p><strong>Planet Lumbering Silence<strong>

The Lightbringer entered the Lumbering Silence's star system once again, this time it had a concrete mission. The Lord of Admirals would take the weakened Raava to one of the still functioning spires that stood in the poles of the world.

Arriving on the south pole of the planet, Forthencho carried the small and fragile Raava on his arms. From far away, Forthencho could notice that the spire that was surrounded by intense snow and ice was still pulsing energy into the sky. This could've been the thing that sent him the coordinates to G-17b.

"_We…are almost there._" The weakened Raava said. "_I was wrong about you Forthencho, I had no idea that humans were capable of such nobility and courage. I am sorry that we do not have much more time together._"

"The battle has not begun yet, we still have a shot." Forthencho replied, giving out some optimism to his companion.

Coming close to the spire, Forthencho noticed that there was an opened gate in front of them, it looked like the entrance. "_This is the portal to the Spirit World; this is where Vaatu and I are to do battle once again where the place the two realms meet._" Raava explained.

"The Ancients built this to travel between dimensions?" Forthencho asked.

"_The Precursors knew of the existence of other realms besides the material one, with their great power they built spires in many of the worlds they seeded._" Raava replied. "_You could say…that I am a child of the Precursors._"

* * *

><p><strong>The Spirit World<strong>

Entering the spire's entrance, Forthencho noticed that reality changed and he was somewhere entirely. This place was as if he had entered an arena or a ritual area. There were two spires on each side and both were turned on from this side of the light. In the middle resided a tree, it looked old as it did not have any leaves on it.

From the opposing portal the dark spirit Vaatu came out, he was full of power and was set on bringing the age of darkness to the galaxy. "_**Are you ready for our final battle, Raava? Thanks to our friend separating us I think this time I will be able to get rid of you once and for all!**_" Vaatu taunted.

"Your arrogance will be your downfall, dark one. If you want Raava, you will have to go through me first!" Forthencho stood tall as he placed Raava somewhere safe.

"_**No human can stand against me!**_" Vaatu responded.

"I am not like the others, Vaatu. I am the Lord of Admirals!" Fortherncho attacked the mighty spirit, throwing blast after blast of fire from his hands at him. Vaatu avoided each of the attacks by flying around Forthencho.

Vaatu swooped down and whipped the Lord of Admirals away with his tail-tentacle, making the human warrior glide in the air. He then struck the rocky ground hard; luckily his armor protected him from most harm.

"_**I've lived ten thousand lifetimes before the first of your kind crawled out of the mud!**_" Vaatu boasted, he charged his energies into his eye and fired a powerful beam of hard-light at Forthencho.

The overwhelming force of beam pushed Forthencho away like a ragdoll, striking the ground once again with a loud thud. "_**It was I who discovered the Precursor spires; it was I who broke through their locks! It was I who broke through the divide of spirits and the material realms!**_" Once again he struck the helpless Lord of Admirals with his beam of light, again making fly into the air and hit a rock hard. His armor was in critical condition, it could not take this kind of punishment. "_**To hate me is to give me breath; to fight me is to give me strength. Now prepare to face oblivion!**_"

Vaatu was ready to deliver the killing blow, but Forthencho prepared himself and use his firebending to propel himself out of the way of Vaatu's eye beam. He landed away from Vaatu's reach but was already too hurt to continue this fight alone.

"Raava! The only way we can defeat him is together!" He yelled. Raava flew out from her cover and directly into Forthencho's chest. They combined once more, mixing their energies into one.

Vaatu had to end this now, before Harmonic Convergence would begin. Forthencho, now armed with all the four elements and the added power of Raava, could fight Vaatu with all his will. He easily went passed Vaatu's attacks, thanks to the agile and fast movement of airbending.

His fire augmented to a superior degree was able to hurt the dark spirit once Forthencho found an opening, it was not a fireball but a bath of pure fire that struck Vaatu. He bended the water around him and threw it at Vaatu like a bullet, hitting and going through the spirit's being.

It seemed to hurt him, but he still came for Forthencho. Vaatu got some good shots at Forthencho, but he could manipulate the air currents preventing him from hitting the ground and glide through the air as the leaf in the wind. He bended huge chunks of rock from the ground as he flew through the air, throwing these immense boulders at Vaatu. Two of them missed but the third one hit the spirit on its 'face'. It still came but Forthencho evaded his attacks, but then it hit him.

The fact of being one with Raava was already taking a toll on his body and would not be able to hold so much power any longer. "Err…" He grunted at the sheer amount of pain his body was enduring.

"_I have to leave you; if I stay any longer you will die!_"

"It…it does not matter…if we separate, Vaatu will win…agh! One final effort is all that remains!" Forthencho yelled, entering once more into the battle.

He was able to dodge some of the attacks that Vaatu delivered but the dark spirit noticed how tired and weak his opponent was becoming. Once Forthencho landed on the ground to get some breath, that's when he went for the attack. With one of his tentacles, Vaatu grabbed Forthencho and threw him into the direction of the southern spire, hitting him with another blast of hard light while on the air.

Forthencho landed hard beside the opened gate of the spire, where the energy surged into the sky. Vaatu quickly got there and kept Forthencho in place with three of his tentacles.

"_**The Harmonic Convergence is about to begin! The era of Raava is over.**_"

In space, many ancient and hidden Precursor worlds and installations aligned with the center of the Milky Way. The core bursts with untold amounts of raw cosmic energies that fed the worlds and installations, as a lighthouse. Then those installations amplified the signal and sent them throughout the galaxy as one big wave of power. All worlds were bathed by this galactic radiation; it reached the Lumbering Silence and was also sucked into the spires. Forthencho watched as both northern and southern spires' power pulses sky rocketed and connected with each other forming a rainbow of power.

Vaatu's being received the surge of power, his energy levels increasing. Forthencho then felt that Raava also received the power surge, and then he turned to face at the exposed entrance of the spire. If by being in the presence of the spires was enough then if he touched them directly he would be able to recover fully.

He extended his free arm towards the white light and touched it; the light quickly ran through his body. Vaatu noticed this and quickly let go of Forthencho, feeling the light energy of Raava burning him off.

Forthencho felt how Raava was literally combining with his own will and spirit, the power of light engulfing the entire area and surprising Vaatu greatly. As the light faded, he noticed something that he would have never dreamed of seeing.

"_We are now bonded forever._" Raava and Forthencho were permanently a single entity now. This very amalgamation of human and spirit scared Vaatu greatly at first but the dark spirit knew he had defeat Forthencho before Harmonic Convergence was over.

Now with the immeasurable power of Raava surging through him without any hindrance, Forthencho bended the four elements against Vaatu. Easily overpowering the towering spirit in power output and overall speed.

Vaatu couldn't even compete, he couldn't get an eye of the faster Forthencho as he threw rocks and fire and water and air all at the same time. Forthencho then trapped the ancient spirit in a ball of flowing air, and then with a ring of fire, earth, water and air circling around his new cage. He carried this prison towards the great tree he had seen when he entered this realm.

With a powerful gust of wind he pushed Vaatu into the opened side of the tree, it seemed that Forthencho's energies connected to that of the tree and sealed Vaatu within it.

"This is your prison now, and I will seal all of the portals to the Spirit World so that no one else releases you."

* * *

><p><strong>Lumbering Silence<strong>

Exiting the Spirit World, he could now understand Precursor technology to a degree. Forthencho could read the letters and words on the panels that stood on the entrance of the spire. Instead of shutting it off right there, he told the spire to send out a signal to the other installations dotting across the galaxy with a shutdown notice. He would need time to round up all of the spirits in the worlds he had visited and sent them back to the Spirit World.

"The spirits must stop living with humans and return to their home in the Spirit World. I will teach mankind to respect spirits so that balance shall be maintained."

After the last spirit passed through the spire, Forthencho initiated the shutdown order. "I will be the bridge between our two worlds." The spires became offline, separating both realms after many years.

* * *

><p>"I will make it my mission to bring balance to the galaxy, to use Raava's light spirit to lead the galaxy and all those who inhabit it to peace…by any means necessary."<p>

* * *

><p>Forthencho was an old man now, his forces defeated by the more powerful Forerunner armada. They had besieged the human capital, Charum Hakkor, and battered its defenses to destruction. There had nothing left to do but surrender, Forthencho knew that his time was up.<p>

Now inside a carrying pod like the rest of his fellow brothers-in-arms, he watched as Forerunner Lifeworkers tended to them for their final fate. "I am sorry…Raava…" Forthencho said with a weak voice. "I failed to bring peace; even with Vaatu locked away…darkness still surrounds the galaxy."

Then Forthencho was surrounded by several lights, blue, and red colors shined on his eyes. "There wasn't enough time."

"_Don't worry, we will be together for all of your lifetimes and we will never give up._"

Forthencho then breathed his last gust of air and then relaxed his body as he allowed his spirit to drift away into new life. His physical body composed into digital patterns, but his spirit was free to start anew.

The Lord of Admirals might be gone but he, in some ways, was reborn.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Time<strong>

**Fire Nation Islands**

Korra's eyes violently opened revealing the reemergence of the Avatar spirit within her; she then controlled it and was back into the world of the living. She gasped for air; Korra looked around her and saw that she had been submerged on a pool of spirit water.

Thorne had awakened as well and was still in shock from what he had witnessed; Korra looked up at the people who had saved her. The old Fire Sage woman was the first to greet her.

"I remember." Korra said.

"Do you know who you are?" She asked.

"My name is Korra…and I am the Avatar." Korra answered. Once recovered, Thorne and Korra followed the old lady towards a small garden that was home of dozens of sky bisons.

"We've been raising this small herd of sky bison since the Hundred Year War." The old lady said. "I never thought that I would live to present it to the Avatar."

"Thank you for all your kindness; I don't know how long we've been away." Korra said.

"That I cannot say, but you do not have much time left. The Harmonic Convergence is only weeks away."

"I have to close the spire portals before that happens." Korra said.

"How are we supposed to get back to anywhere?" Thorne asked.

"There's only one way, by flying!" Korra ran towards one of the bisons, "Come on Spartan, we have a world to save!"

Korra and Thorne rode the sky bison away and the first place that came to mind was the Air Temple where Tenzin was currently in.


	11. The Guide

**_Here I am, back from the land of dead!_****Finally I can continue this story, sorry for taking too long. Been busy with stuff. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>UNSCUnited Forces HQ, Republic City**

A pelican landed on the docking area of the base, ready to unload men and supplies from the fleet. Apparently those who outranked Captain Lasky and hid in the shadows had ordered a full military operation in Republic City and prepare the bases for several War Games and among other military exercises. They would be preparing soldiers to be sent to the frontlines in the Water Tribes.

From the pelican, three individuals in blue MJOLNIR armor stepped out. New fireteams had been requested to replace those that had been told to leave for the Earth Kingdom. "This place reeks, why are we here again?" The Spartan in the teal armor asked his team leader. "And why are you our team leader? You barely do anything."

"Shut up dumbass, I want to make a good impression on the cadets." The Spartan team leader in cobalt and yellow armor replied.

"Wash can I go to the bathroom now." The Spartan in the blue armor said.

"You shouldn't have drunk all of that orange juice on the way here, Caboose."

"Tucker, you ate all of my rations and molested at least 4 women and a gardening hose before we left the ship. You shouldn't be talking." Wash responded as they headed towards Command to report for duty.

"That was a hose?" Tucker asked while the trio entered Maj. Wright's office.

"Fireteam Blue reporting for duty." Washington saluted; the other two did the same except that Caboose was saluting the wrong way.

"Welcome to the bog, Spartans." Wright said. "At ease, after that incident with those Freelancers, the UNSC hailed you as heroes and made you Spartans….especially you Agent Washington."

"I still can't believe that I had to hold Caboose's hands during the augmentation…that wasn't any fun." Tucker said.

"It is an honor to be proven worthy of this, sir." Washington said. "What's our mission?"

"This is your target; she has been classified as a threat and needs to be captured." Wright showed them a hologram of their target.

"Bow chicka bow wow." Tucker stated.

"Shut up, Tucker. This is our target…a girl?" Washington questioned.

"Not any girl, Lieutenant…the Avatar."

"I hope she is nice…the last girl was a mean one." Caboose said.

* * *

><p><strong>Earth Kingdom<strong>

Hellbringer units and Spartan-IVs were deployed to cleanse the Flood infection that had ravaged the base and rescue Captain Lasky and his squad. On their way towards the communications wing they found a Proto-Gravemind in the base's command room. This was the thing that commanded most if not all of the Combat Forms in the base. The flamethrower wielding Hellbringers incinerated the beast and the Spartans exterminated the remaining Flood.

Captain Lasky and Commander Palmer were found taking cover behind a lot of crates, the bodies of their Marines was also found not too far from them. All of them had been eviscerated from the inside out.

"Captain." One of the Spartans helped the officer back up; he was covered in Flood goo. "Commander Palmer, we are with Fireteam Switchback."

"Good timing, Spartans." Palmer said.

"Any word on what's going in the Water Tribes?" Lasky asked.

"The ODSTs are making short work of the tribesmen, sir, but they still haven't broken through the palace's gates."

"Whoever ordered this wants a war…a colony here and they want it by force."

"Then we better head back to the Infinity, sir." Palmer said.

"Yeah, level this place there's nothing here to help us anymore. Also seal that dig site…I've had enough of parasites." Lasky said leaving the two Spartan-IVs.

* * *

><p><strong>The Eastern Air Temple<strong>

Tenzin and his family had been taking a vacation traveling to all of the Air Nomad temples, voluntarily out of contact with the external world. "Stop telling lies." Kya, Tenzin's older sister and waterbending healer said.

"It's true; I once beat an earthbender in a rock throwing contest! I have the trophy to prove it." Bumi, the former United Forces commander and Tenzin's older brother replied.

"All right everybody, who's ready for an exciting tour of the Eastern Air Temple? We got a lot to see today, including ancient statues, ancient gardens and the meditation hall used by ancient airbenders." Tenzin said, his children didn't look forward to this trip.

"Yay…old things." Ikki replied with a bored voice. Then a familiar figure walked into the garden from the archway behind them.

"Korra!?" Tenzin couldn't believe his eyes.

"Korra!" The kids shouted in joy and ran to hug Korra.

"What are you doing here?" Pema asked her.

"And how did you know how to find us?" Kya added.

"Tenzin's itinerary, we went over it like a hundred times before we left Republic City." Korra answered.

"See, this is why schedules are important." Tenzin stated.

"It's so great to see you all again." Korra said.

"It's great to see you too." Tenzin replied. "But why aren't you training in the South Pole?"

"Wait, you haven't heard about the war with the UNSC?" Korra asked them surprised.

"What?! No…we've been out of touch with the outside world since we started our vacation." Tenzin replied.

"Tenzin's idea." Bumi said. "What happened?"

"So much…I don't know where to start." Korra said.

"Just tell us everything." Tenzin responded.

"Everything? Okay." Korra wasn't too sure to tell them what had happened right now. "I opened a spirit portal in the south pole which happened to be a Precursor spire portal but then Unalaq turned out to be a bad guy and wanted to take control of south and declared war on the UNSC but when I went to find some help I was attacked by two UNSC ships and then by a giant dark spirit and then I forgot who I was and then I met the first Avatar and then I realized I shouldn't have opened the portal in the first place and now we need to close it again!"

Then walking from behind her was Spartan Thorne, who's armor had seen better days, he looked at the confused Tenzin and company and then at Korra. "I hope that you told them that I fought a dragon right?" He asked.

"I knew this would happen." Tenzin stated. Everyone then looked at him like he was crazy or something.

"You did?" Kya asked in a sarcastic manner.

Somewhere else, Korra and Tenzin were sitting on a concrete bench, Tenzin was still trying to wrap his head around the idea of the Precursors, Forerunners, the Lord of Admirals and Vaatu.

"So Avatar Forthencho imprisoned this dark spirit Vaatu in the Spirit World?" Tenzin asked.

"Yes, now I think my uncle is trying to free him by opening the portal spires." Korra replied.

"I knew Unalaq was hungry for power but never realized how far he would go to get it." Tenzin stated.

"This is all my fault." Korra said thinking how easily she had been manipulated by her uncle.

"No Korra, don't blame yourself this is all Unalaq's doing." Tenzin tried to cheer her up. "Now we must focus to set things right before he can do anymore damage."

"Thank you." Korra said.

"So…you need to close the southern portal. But if Unalaq's army controls the south, how are going to get through it?" Tenzin asked.

"I thought about that, my best chance to close the portal is from the inside. I have to enter the Spirit World." Korra responded.

"A journey to the Spirit World…all my years of spiritual training have prepared me for this moment." Tenzin said. "I will help you, today we will enter the Spirit World."

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Portal<strong>

The tip of the Precursor spire could be seen coming out of the ice, surrounded by trees. This is the forest that once was the Forever Storm, surrounded by Northern Water Tribe soldiers and mechatanks. Unalaq had moved his headquarters here after the UNSC had dropped an ODST invasion on the port capital via the UNSC Song of the East.

Unalaq stood in front of the opened portal; he was holding a device in his hand. It looked like a PDA of some kind, he had been communicating with someone.

**\\: Chief Unalaq, the time is right. You must come.**

Unalaq sighed and stepped into the beam of light.

* * *

><p><strong>Within Requiem<strong>

Stepping into the other side, Unalaq was met with one of the aliens that had devastated the planet before. It opened its split maw to speak, "Chief Unalaq, you have finally arrived." It said in a harsh and rough voice. Unalaq was uneasy of making deals with the aliens, but he needed their aid for now.

Unalaq followed the towering reptile alien towards what seemed to be a chapel of sorts, of incredible technology. He looked at the sky and saw that he was inside a planet. His planet… "Spirits…" Unalaq murmured.

More Sangheili Storm warriors joined them, they arrived to another portal. An apex point, "Go in." The taller one said. Unalaq stepped inside and saw that he was in the Spirit World now.

* * *

><p><strong>Spirit World<strong>

This was the place all right; this is where the dark one told him to enter. There it was the prison that held the powerful dark spirit known as Vaatu. Unalaq noticed that the northern spire was still closed.

He walked to it; the spire was gigantic and made of a metal that he had never seen before. Extremely different from the material that the chapel was made out of. There was an activation panel right next to the gate, it was locked. Unalaq placed his hand over it…nothing.

Then a voice came from the panel, it sounded furious at Unalaq, "YOU ARE NOT HER, YOU ARE NOT HER!" It screamed, the AI booted Unalaq away fiercely. The Northern Chieftan stood back up, that thing had life of its own!

Unalaq bended water from a nearby river and threw a controlled gust of water at the spire wanting to force it open. He even froze the water in the receiving end, but it did absolutely nothing to the metallic gate. Not even a scratch.

Unalaq grunted in anger, he began to think of a way to open the gate. "I know what to do." Unalaq said, walking back to the Elites standing on the portal.

"Jul." Unalaq said.

"What is it?" 'Mdama responded.

"Harmonic Convergence is almost upon us, what we must do we must do it as soon as possible. Do it."

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

Captain Lasky and Commander Palmer returned to the Infinity, Lasky immediately went to his command chair and opened a secured channel to all other UNSC ships.

"This is Captain Lasky of the Infinity; I want a clear reason why this fleet is attacking the planet below!" Lasky yelled.

Various voices of various captain and lieutenants responded trying to give an explanation to Lasky until one responded. It was a cold and calculative one, "This is Captain Kent of the UNSC By The Maker, I have your answer, Captain Lasky." A man said, Lasky turned to his information officer…

"Sir, there is no UNSC By The Maker in the fleet…there is no ship named UNSC By The Maker.: The officer told Lasky, the Infinity's captain turned to the visage of a man in dark clothes and young appearance.

"ONI." Lasky stated rubbing the sides of his head. "I should've known."

"It was paramount that you should not know of this, Captain Lasky. It has been ordered from the highest of parts of the Office of Naval Intelligence that this world must be placed in hands of ONI and kept isolated from other UNSC colonies." Captain Kent said. "I am sorry Captain Lasky, but this mission belongs to ONI now."

The conversation ended, "Communications, I want this message sent to HIGHCOM and FLEETCOM immediately. I want a direct line to Lord Hood ASAP!"

"What will the spooks do?" Palmer asked.

"Blacklisted stuff, the not so kind of nice blacklisted and top secret stuff." Lasky replied exiting the bridge.

* * *

><p><strong>Eastern Air Temple<strong>

"You're lucky." Tenzin said. "This is the most spiritual of all the Air Temples, by this very tower is where my father met Guru Patik."

"Wow, Spirit World here we come!" Korra said.

The others came to help with the spiritual ceremony; they sat in a circle facing each other. Ikki ran the smoke while Meelo rang the bell. Everyone tried to concentrate as this happened, even Thorne who stood by the sidelines kept quiet.

"Are you in the Spirit World?" Korra whispered to Tenzin.

"I would be if Meelo wouldn't ring the bell in the appropriate intervals." Tenzin responded.

"Aww…did I do it wrong?" Meelo asked. Tenzin stood up.

"Grr…let's try something else." Tenzin said walking away from the circle.

"I thought your bell ringing was just fine." Korra said to Meelo.

"Thanks!" Meelo responded and continued to ring the ball as hard as he could.

"Nice, now you turned him into a monkey." Thorne said.

"What's a monkey?" Korra asked, Thorne placed his right on his face as response.

"Never mind." Thorne replied, his armor was still offline meaning that he couldn't communicate with Majestic or with the Infinity. Thorne wondered what was going on right now in Republic City.

* * *

><p><strong>Major Wright's Office, Republic City<strong>

"What the hell do you mean that Thorne is a traitor!?" Madsen yelled at Maj. Wright, ONI has placed Spartan Thorne and Avatar Korra as enemies of the UNSC.

"Control your Spartan, DeMarco." Wright said.

"Sir, this must be a mistake. Thorne is no traitor." DeMarco stated.

"There is no mistake, Spartan. FLEETCOM is already sending ships to this planet as we speak thanks to Captain Lasky. Soon we will have this situation under control." Wright informed them.

"Does that include the murder of more Southerners and Northerners?" General Iroh said as he walked into the office.

"General, this is not a moment to speak of sensibilities." Wright responded.

"There is a war going on right now in the Water Tribes between your people and ours. An unprovoked war." General Iroh said.

"Your people were on the brink of Civil War, we stepped in. This is a mere nuisance with the Covenant still inside the planet." Wright replied. "We brought the future to this world."

"No we didn't." DeMarco said leaving the office with Madsen.

"The Council and the President might have their hands tied, but not me." General Iroh told Wright before leaving. Wright sighed and went back to his desk and turned his computer on.

"The Admiral won't like this." He said.

* * *

><p><strong>Outside Wright's Office<strong>

General Iroh knew he was going to get court marshaled if he sent ships to the south, but his heart told him that he has to help the Avatar.

"You are going through with this, Grandson?" Zuko asked, he had been waiting outside.

"I don't know…what would've you done?" Iroh asked his grandfather.

"During my years as Firelord of the Fire Nation, making the world a better place was not as easy as I would have believed. Firelord Ozai left the four nations in disarray, in chaos. Avatar Aang and I did all we could to bring harmony back to the world. I believe it's your time now, General Iroh. To help the Avatar and bring back order in these times of war and chaos." Zuko said. "Go, I will keep the politicians at bay."

"Thank you Grandad." Iroh hugged his grandfather and quickly left towards the naval United Forces fleet in the docks.

* * *

><p><strong>Eastern Air Temple<strong>

While they waited for some type of connection with the Spirit World within the temple, Korra nor Tenzin could connect to anything spiritual. Something was wrong.

"Korra…focus…focus." Tenzin said.

"I am focusing." Korra replied.

"No talking, feel the energy of the universe."

"Okay…I feel it."

"Korra, really! I'm trying to concentrate here!" Tenzin jolted Korra out of focus. "I don't think this location is going to work either."

"What's going on with you? First blaming Meelo, then Kya and now me." Korra said.

"Well nothing is feeling right to me."

"I don't want to rush your feelings but we're kinda in a hurry." Korra said. "How did you first get into the Spirit World? Let's try that."

"Well…actually….I've never been in the Spirit World." Tenzin said surprising Korra and the others minus Thorne who was extremely confused with all of this Air Nomad stuff.

"You've never been into the Spirit World?!"

"But you used to spend days in the temple meditating." Pema said still not believing that her airbending husband had never been in the Spirit World.

"Trying to get in. It never happened; it's my greatest shortcoming as an airbender, spiritual leader and son of Aang." Tenzin explained.

"Hahaha, welcome to the 'I disappoint dad club'." Bumi jokingly said.

"If you've never been into the Spirit World, how do you plan to Korra in to it?" Kya asked her little brother.

"I spent years studying the techniques of ancient spiritual leaders. Now that the Avatar needs me…it must be my time." Tenzin stated.

"Tenzin, Harmonic Convergence is almost here and if Vaatu escapes from the Spirit World…" Korra said.

"You'll have to trust me, I can help you."

Korra nodded with hope that he was right.

"There might be another way." Kya said.

"So…a kid?" Thorne asked.

"Jinora, is there something you want to tell Korra?" Kya asked.

"Jinora? She's too young and untrained to have any knowledge in spiritual matters." Tenzin said.

"Actually…I think I do know where Korra needs to go to get into the Spirit World." Jinora said.

"And how would you know that?"

"My spirit friends showed me." Jinora replied. "It's okay, you can show yourselves."

As soon as she said that, a handful of spirit bunnies appeared floating above them. Thorne couldn't believe what he was seeing…actual spirits.

"Unbelieable…" Thorne said as one of them sat on his shoulder. "This is not the way I thought I would meet a ghost."

"How did you do that?" Tenzin asked his daughter.

"Jinora…" Pema said in wonder.

"Bunnies!" Meelo yelled.

"Actually they are dragonfly-bunnies spirits." Jinora corrected her brother; Thorne looked at the dragonfly-bunny on his shoulder and was perplexed on the idea of a bunny with dragonfly wings for ears.

"I knew it! It looks like she does know something on spiritual matters." Kya said. The dragonfly-bunnies flew out from the temple.

"How long have you been able to do this?" Tenzin asked.

"I don't know…I guess I've always had a connection with spirits." Jinora said.

"Hahaha! I think this one likes me." Bumi said as one of the bunnies played with him.

"Are they here to help?" Korra asked.

"I think they want you to go down there." Jinora answered pointing at the forest below. Thee bunnies flew towards it.

"I don't know…the spiritual energy is historically stronger closer to the temple." Tenzin doubted.

"No offense but I think the spirits that have been in the Spirit World so…I'll follow them." Korra said.

"If we go to the Tenzin World, we'll call you." Bumi added. Tenzin sighed in frustration. It was getting dark, so they should better get started.

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

Bolin and Mako walked through the streets of Republic City after coming from work, Mako from the police headquarters and Bolin from making movers.

"Tough day huh?" Bolin asked.

"You bet, there've been like six robberies in a row earlier today. What a drag." Mako replied. "I have to meet Asami later for some reports of her father she wanted. Wanna come?"

"Sure."

As they walked towards Asami's apartment, which was located in a really fancy part of town, they saw several UNSC Marines, fully armed, running through the streets in squads. It was strange, but nothing they should worry about.

Then the brothers saw several men in black armor talking to a UNSC officer in the corner of the block. The men didn't look like ODSTs and wore dark glasses…in the middle of the night. Something was up.

Mako knocked on Asami's door, she opened. "Hi guys!" Asami greeted them.

"Hey Asami, I got the files you wanted." Mako said giving her a binder. They walked in and took a sit on the couch…the fancy couch.

"Now this is what I call soft!" Bolin said as soon as he relaxed on said couch and placed his feet over the coffee table.

"Any word where Korra is?" Asami asked.

"We tried looking for her and that Spartan guy but nothing." Mako said. "It's all my fault."

"Come on bro, you couldn't have known that she would respond like that." Bolin said.

"Bolin's right, what we have to do is look for her." Asami responded. "Hey Bolin, mind making us some tea?"

"Uh sure." Bolin stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "Oh man, you have cups inside cups! Now that's fancy livin'!"

Asami sat next to Mako, "Are you okay?" She asked him.

"It's just that things are not going to smoothly…with the war in the south, the bad blood here in the city and with Korra disappearing…it's not…" Mako tried to say.

"You don't have to do it all alone." Asami said putting her hand over his. "I'm here for you; we are all here for you."

"All right, I didn't put any sugar into them so you guys shoul…..OH GREAT NAGA!" Bolin yelled once he saw Mako and Asami kissing.

"Did you have to throw hot tea at my face?" Mako said as he cleaned the hot tea of his face with his police coat.

"I can't believe you guys! Korra has been missing for just three days!" Bolin yelled again.

"My fault, sorry." Asami said running into the bathroom.

"Bolin, listen….Asami and I are going through some things." Mako tried explaining but before Bolin could respond gunshots were heard outside in the streets. "What the?" They went to look through the window.

Several Marines were taking cover behind parked cars as the civilians ran for their lives; plasma bolts struck the Marines' cover. "The Covenant!" Bolin said, Asami came out of the bathroom and looked at the mayhem below.

"Let's go!" Mako said.

In the streets, Spartan Washington and Blue Fireteam took cover in an alleyway. Grunts and Jackals advanced through the street firing at the Marines. "You two listen, I want all of you to stay clear of the main street and head to the rooftops." Washington pointed upward. "There you can snipe the incoming Elites down the street and give me and the Marines some support as we counter attack."

"That sounds really complicated." Tucker responded.

"What's a rooftop?" Caboose added.

"Ugh. Tucker, I will give you my sniper rifle." Washington said.

"Really? Finally!" Tucker said grabbing the sniper and putting his energy sword away. "Come on Caboose, I'll need a meat shield."

"I love being meat." Caboose followed Tucker to a nearby building; Washington peeked at the attacking Covenant. Too many to fight head on, he threw a grenade and made several Grunts go boom.

The Marines advanced a bit, firing their assault rifles at the shield wielding Jackals. More Grunts were coming in, as if they wanted to take the city block like it was some sort of Forerunner temple or something.

Washington fired his battle rifle at the enemy troopers, bringing death to many Grunts and Jackals. "This is Command, there is Covenant in Sectors 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 10, all ground units are ordered to respond back with force." The dispatcher said.

"No shit." Washington said continuing defending the street. Sniper shots could be heard, meaning that Tucker was giving them support. Sniper shots ripped through an Elite's head, and into another's torso.

"Hell yeah! Church can suck it!" Tucker celebrated. Caboose fired his dual SMGs with no clear target.

"IIIIIII caaaaaannnnnn't feeeeeelllll myyyyy haaaaandsssss!" He screamed.

"Let go off the trigger dumbass." Tucker responded.

Tucker then heard Mexican music being played in the distance…becoming louder and louder. "You've got to be kidding me." He said. A warthog appeared out of nowhere slamming its way through the waves of Grunts and Jackals.

"YEAH! Suck it Blues! I mean Aliens!" The gunner yelled.

"This is my second favorite thing to do!" The driver added.

"Ugh….not these guys." Washington said lowering his gun, the street had been cleared. The Marines came out of cover and began to re-activate their radios to communicate to command.

"Now this is what I call an entrance." Geoff said. "But can Donut sit on someone else's lap next time?"

"Shut up Grif, use the codenames!" Sarge responded.

"Those are stupid." Grif responded.

"I like Gustavo just fine, sir." Simmons kissed Sarge's ass.

"Kiss ass." Grif told Simmons. Washington walked towards them preparing for the amounts of idiocy these guys would tell him.

"Why are you idiots here?" Washington asked.

"Since your Freelancer friends blew up, Sarge wanted us to join with the real army." Simmons said.

"Unfortunately the real army sucks as much as the fake army." Grif added.

"And to disguise our heroic identities we had to use codenames!" Sarge said.

"Codenames? The armor can scan your vitals, brain patters, your identity and your fucking SAT scores!" Washington said.

"I told you, when the armor scanned me there was a malfunction when it looked at my…." Donut said.

"Shut up Donut!" The three other Reds yelled. Tucker and Caboose ran towards them.

"The gang's all here…fuck." Tucker said.

Mako, Bolin and Asami exited the apartment building and saw that the Covenant had been beaten back.

"Well we missed the action." Bolin said.

"Let's talk with the marines over there, they probably know what happened." Mako suggested, they walked towards the Marines.

"Hey guys, what happened?" Asami asked the Marines.

"Big wave of aliens came out of nowhere, appeared in the middle of town's square." One of the marines said. "Took down our armor support."

"Out of nowhere?"

"Teleported." Then their link to command became static. "Command…are you there? Command?"

"Signal's busted." Another marine said.

"Can't those just signal the Infinity?" Bolin asked.

"Command is in the Infinity."

"Then that means…" Mako was about to say when Washington grabbed his shoulder.

"You, you are the person we've been looking for."

* * *

><p><strong>Eastern Air Temple<strong>

Korra and the gang were able to locate the area where the spirits had led them too, an ancient air nomad meditating ground. Stones of air surrounded the grounds and a spiritual center sat in the middle.

Korra had been able to cleanse the area of dark spirits with the purifying technique that Unalaq had taught her. Korra and Jinora sat looking at each other, meditating trying to enter the Spirit World.

"I don't think is okay that a little girl going in there." Thorne said.

"Me too…but I trust Jinora. She will guide Korra well enough." Tenzin replied. "All my life I believed to be the one to guide the Avatar but it seems that I was mistaken."

"We all have our roles, and it sounds like you are a teacher." Thorne said. "Without you she wouldn't have been able to get here anyway."

"Yeah Jinora has come a long way." Tenzin said.

"No, I meant Korra." Thorne corrected Tenzin, the old master agreed and smiled warmly.

* * *

><p><strong>The Spirit World<strong>

Korra opened her eyes and found herself in a beautiful and vast spirit forest standing next to Jinora. "Wow…" Korra was amazed at the vista.

"The Spirit World…." Jinora whispered to herself in awe.

Somewhere else, Unalaq and Jul 'Mdama stood in front of Vaatu's prison. "The Avatar is dead, and we can't open the northern portal." Unalaq reported.

"We have already taken the measures to open it, but many will die, we have failed you Vaatu." Mdama added.

"_**You have not failed me…yet. The Avatar still lives."**_

"How do you know?" Unalaq asked.

"_**Even though my connection to Raava was severed, I can still feel her presence."**_

"We'll find her!" Unalaq said.

"_**The Avatar will find you. She has just entered the Spirit World."**_


	12. Contact the Domain

**UNSC Infinity**

Capt. Lasky was looking at his comm unit inside his personal quarters, waiting for FLEETCOM's response. "Captain Lasky." A marine's voice called to him from the intercom.

"Yes?" Capt. Lasky replied.

"She's ready." Lasky sighed and turned his comm unit off and walked towards his door.

"On my way."

* * *

><p><strong>Conference Room, UNSC Infinity<strong>

"I will never learn all that exist in our own tiny galaxy let alone the rest of the universe, and I so desperately want to know everything." Dr. Halsey said. Lasky had called her to ask her some question while she was stationed in the Infinity. "But the UNSC acts like children in a sandbox, mistaking its edges for the limits of the world."

Commander Palmer walked back and forth behind Halsey, ready to crack heads at a moment's notice. Halsey looked at her shackles, "I bet they keep you in something a lot smaller than a sandbox now, Catherine." Palmer said.

"Why?" Halsey asked. "I shared no information." She turned to Capt. Lasky who sat in front of her. "The intelligence community already knew my name, my task…and offered data that would advance our research for years. This is a research mission after all…even if you treat it like live fire War Game."

Roland appeared out of the blue next to Lasky on top of the AI holotank. "Commander Palmer!" He yelled.

"Roland, not now." Lasky stated.

"Actually…bit of an emergency Captain. Spartan Thorne has been detected alive on Requiem; his armor signals disappeared but have just recently sprung up like fireworks." Roland informed them.

* * *

><p><strong>Eastern Air Temple<strong>

It was still night, everyone had fallen asleep except for Tenzin and Thorne who still waited for Korra and Jinora to come back from their trip to the Spirit World. "Tell me about yourself, Thorne." Tenzin said, wanting to kill some time chatting with the Spartan-IV.

"Not much to say really, I'm from New Phoenix. Born and raised there." Thorne replied.

"New Phoenix? Earth?" Tenzin asked.

"Yeah, after some years I enlisted into the UNSC wanting to become a Spartan. Seeing the news about the Master Chief doing all of these heroic stuff, saving lives, putting his life on the line for us…made me sign up as soon as became eighteen." Thorne said.

"Do you have any family waiting for you?"

"During the Didact's attack on Earth, he fired the Composer at New Phoenix. There were no survivors."

"I am sorry."

"I was finishing my Spartan training when it happened…and the Didact would've killed more if it hadn't been for Korra and the Master Chief." Thorne replied. "We own her and him our lives, but I feel some of us have forgotten that."

"I hope that our worlds to co-exist with each other, we have been separated for a long time." Tenzin said. Thorne still couldn't wrap his head around what he had seen with Korra back in the Fire Temple but he was here, without Majestic, and he had to do everything he could to follow on with his mission.

Then his armor started bipping. "Uh oh." Thorne said as he saw the lights on his armor blink white and red.

"What's happening?" Tenzin asked.

"It's my armor's recovery module…its coming back online." The others woke up from the sound.

"What's going on?" Bumi asked rubbing his eyes.

"Is it sending out a message?" Tenzin asked again.

"Yeah, back to the Infinity." Thorne answered, "We have ten minutes before we have Sparrowhawks up to our shoulders."

They looked at Korra and Jinora who still sat meditating, still within the Spirit World.

* * *

><p><strong>The Spirit World<strong>

Korra and Jinora wandered around the spirit plains aimlessly, surprised by the beauty of the realm. "Wow…where do we go?" Korra asked.

"I don't know…" Jinora replied, a small spirit butterfly flew towards her. "Heh you're beautiful." The butterfly flew away and Jinora followed it.

"Jinora wait..!" Korra followed her, stepping on a spirit mole rat hole. The mole rat pushed her foot away.

"Hey! Watch where ya steppin' at, human!" The mole rat told her.

"Sorry, I didn't see."

"Humans, always coming to where you're not invited!"

"Hey cool your eggs; I didn't even know this was your home! And not invited?! I'm the Avatar!" Korra responded.

"The Avatar?! Hey guys we have an Avatar here!" The mole rat called on and dozens of mole rats came out of the ground around Korra. "She's been stomping around our home like some sort of queen, get her!"

The mole rat spirits turned dark and jumped on Korra becoming blobs of energy around her, bringing her down to her knees from the sheer weight. "Agh! Jinora!" Korra called for her friend.

Jinora heard Korra's distress and went to help her. "Korra!" She yelled trying to rip the blobs of dark spirit matter off Korra. But then the grassy ground twisted and shook open. "Monkeyfeathers…"

The ground ripped completely open making Korra and Jinora fall into the hole, splashing down into a spirit sea. Korra looked around the spirit water looking for Jinora who was close by, they found each other. But before they could even try to swim back to the surface an immense spirit whale appeared behind them.

The girls swam for their lives but the whale was much faster, it opened its maw and sucked them and the water surrounding them into its belly. But instead of finding themselves inside a whale's stomach, they were thrown into rapids inside a cavern.

"Korra!" Jinora yelled at her friend, they were separated by two parallel rapid ways.

"Jinora!" Korra screamed as she was pulled by the flowing waters. Korra closed her eyes and felt that the water way threw her into a spirit forest. "Ow…" Korra said as she tried to stand back.

She looks to see where she was, but every way the Avatar looked she only saw darkness. Evil ways in the shadows staring at her. "J-Jinora?" Korra felt her voice whimpering as she was surrounded by darkness.

"No…no." Korra stepped back and began to sob. She wasn't the brave and strong teenager anymore, but a scared little girl lost in the dark. Literally.

"Jinora?" The small little Korra called out, she was scared. She shivered alone as tears fell down her cheeks. The small girl began to cry…lonesome.

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

"Could you get your hand off my shoulder?" Mako asked the Spartan-IV known as Washington.

"Not until you tell me the location of your friend, Avatar Korra." Washington responded, "Now talk before I get really pissed."

"We already told you, we don't know where she is!" Bolin said as he was held in place by Caboose.

"Sorry Mr. Green, I can't let you off until I am told that you didn't steal my juice box." Caboose said making Bolin more confused than ever.

"Bullshit! They're lying, Wash." Tucker said as he and Asami both aimed their Battle Rifles at each other.

"Now calm down all of you, they obviously know nothing about the Avatar." Simmons said trying to calm everyone down. "From what I gathered from your mission parameters, the Avatar left with Spartan Thorne of Fireteam Majestic."

"Yeah?" Washington asked.

"Then she must be with him and we can track them with Thorne's armor GPS system." Simmons explained.

"Good job Simmons." Sarge congratulated him.

"Thank you sir!"

"You got something on your nose, Simmons." Grif said. Washington let Mako go, Caboose left Bolin alone and Asami and Tucker lowered their weapons.

"Marines, any word with command?" Washington asked the nearby UNSC marines who were trying to make any contact with the Infinity.

"No, we can't even radio Control back in the UNSC FLEETCOM building here. Major Wright and the brass aren't responding." One of the marines said.

"There's something we don't hear every day…augh." Grif sighed.

"Keep trying to raise contact with Control and the other squads fighting off Covenant." Washing ordered, the marine saluted. "We are going to find an Avatar."

"We are coming with you!" Sarge yelled.

"We are?" Simmons and Grif asked in unison.

"Oh boy!" Donut said.

"No you're not; I already have to carry two idiots with me. You four will follow your original orders and secure the city." Washington stated. "You three are coming with us."

Mako, Bolin and Asami looked at each other; they didn't trust Washington at all. He wasn't like the other Spartans they had encountered; he was more focused in his mission. Like a more social Master Chief, but he was their only way to find Korra.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

"ALERT, ALERT, ALERT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL, THIS IS NOT A DRILL! UNKNOWN FORCES HAVE INFILTRATED THE UNSC INFINITY! ALL ALVAILABLE COMBAT UNITS RESPOND!" The communications systems ringed throughout the ship, getting muffled by the firefight.

Promethean Knights teleported within the UNSC Infinity, taking the sailors and Marines by complete and utter surprise, ODST units were quickly mobilized to halt the Promethean aggressors but the elite marines quickly fell in numbers thanks to the hardlight-based weaponry that ripped through their tough armor.

Captain Lasky and Commander Palmer were escorting Halsey back to her cell when the ship went to hell. A Promethean Knight Battlewagon teleported right in front of them, Commander Palmer jumped right into the fray shooting a hail of bullets at the Promethean.

She threw a shotgun at Captain Lasky, he cocked it and quickly led Halsey to another way. Lasky could hear the screams and groans of the Marines getting mauled by the Promethean Knights. They weren't prepared for an attack such as this one, and then another alarm came alive.

The loading bays…something was attacking the loading bays. Lasky's personal comm unit in his ear came alive again. "Sir, we got a problem." The bridge officer said.

"I've noticed!" Lasky said shooting his shotgun at a pack of Promethean Crawlers.

"Not the Prometheans sir, we got Covenant! They came from the planet! We got them all over the loading bays and they're making their way towards the engines!"

"Shit!" Lasky yelled, he quickly ran towards the long range transmitter he kept in his office, with Halsey following him closely. "This is Captain Lasky of the UNSC Infinity to all Spartan units planetside, you are ordered to return to the Infinity at once! We have a level Omega intrusion level!" He yelled.

Then something struck the office's metal door, Halsey and Lasky looked in horror as the titanium door dented from each strike. The door busted open with a Promethean Knight looming over the two humans, but instead of attacking them it went straight towards Halsey grabbing her and then teleporting away leaving Lasky dumbfounded.

He turned towards his comm channel, "Palmer, it was all a distraction!"

"What do you mean!?"

"They wanted Halsey!"

* * *

><p><strong>The Spirit World<strong>

Jinora looked around where she was, it was an odd place…plains spreading by all directions. "Korra!" Jinora called. She walked slowly while she called for Korra, but then she saw one of her dragonfly-bunny friends flying towards her.

"Furryfoot!" Jinora hugged her spirit friend. "You're much bigger in the Spirit World!"

"You don't happen to know where Korra is?" Jinora asked her friend, the bunny responded by grabbing Jinora and putting her on its back and flying away. "Woah! Nice!"

* * *

><p><strong>Eastern Air Temple<strong>

"We have to move, now." Thorne said.

"We can't, if we move their bodies they won't be able to find them once they return." Tenzin responded.

"Relax, Spartan boy, even if they find us we can beat them back!" Bumi said.

The sounds of gyros were heard from the distance, "Guys, I'm hearing helicopters!" Kya alarmed the others. If Thorne wasn't worried before, he sure was now. Three AV-14 Attack VTOL, otherwise known as the AV-14 Hornet, flew pass them going south.

"They flew pass us!" Bumi said.

"They're flying in circles; they're not the main ship." Thorne stated recognizing the way the hornets flew. It was fast, but they weren't in attack formation.

"Then what is…" Before Kya could ask, an AC-220 Vulture roared above them. Its powerful engines lighted up the peaceful night. Several Air Acolytes came to see what was going on. They were taken aback once they saw the powerful flying war machine above them flashing its head lights at the group below.

"DO NOT MOVE!" The voice of the Vulture's pilot resonated out of the vehicle.

"What do we do!?" Bumi asked the Spartan-IV. Thorne grunted in irritation and helplessness, if this was ONI and not an UNSC sent aircraft they were good as dead.

"Identify yourselves!" Thorne yelled back.

"WE HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ESCORT YOU BACK TO REPUBLIC CITY, THIS IS AN ORDER." The pilot responded.

This was not was Thorne wanted to hear, the pilot was obviously following ONI orders, there was only one thing he and the others could do. "Do not open fire!" Thorne said putting his big armored arms in the air, giving up.

Two hornets hovered above them and slowly descended towards the group, "We are giving up!?" Kya asked.

Thorne didn't respond, he stared at the descending hornets in front of them. The hornets' gyros stopped and the cockpits' covers opened allowing the pilots to come out. They were Marines alright, armored up in pilot harnesses.

"Spartan, we have been ordered by Captain Lasky to take you back to Republic City, the United Forces and some UNSC forces will be there to help you and the Avatar." One of the pilots said. Thorne's face of despair turned into one of confusion.

"Help us? Help us in what?" Thorne asked.

"ONI has sent a Spartan strike team to hunt you and the Avatar; we have to protect her at all costs." The second pilot answered.

"Gentlemen, we can't move Korra until she has returned from the Spirit World." Tenzin said.

"What?" The first pilot asked, not understanding what Tenzin meant.

"What he's trying to say that the Avatar is currently doing something important, very important." Thorne explained. "If we move her from where she is, it would mean disaster for all of us."

* * *

><p><strong>Spirit World<strong>

Korra was crying in complete darkness, surrounded by beats that would fit a nightmare. She shook in terror at the screams and growls of several beasts. Then she heard a shriek coming towards heard, out of terror she swung her arms hitting something. "No!" She yelled.

But once it hit the ground, Korra peeked at the animal. It was a small baby phoenix; its wing had been broken by Korra when she swung her small arms.

"Aw I'm sorry I swung at you, you scared me." Little Korra said as she picked up the small bird. She heard some footsteps coming; she turned to see the figure of an older man walking towards her along with a taller one.

"You two look lost," The older man said. "Maybe I can help you."

"I know you." Korra said as her azure eyes widened.

"I was good friends with Avatar Aang." He lifted his light higher revealing his face, he was Iroh! Zuko's uncle.

"Iroh…" Korra said in wonder.

"Hello Korra." Iroh greeted. The man behind him walked forwards, introducing himself to Korra.

"Hi, I'm Kurt." He said.

* * *

><p><strong>Mo Ce Sea<strong>

Aboard a pelican flying through the great Mo Ce Sea, Spartan Washington looked at his Battle Rifle. Checking it for any damage or grime, Asami who was sitting next to him looked at what he was doing.

"Um…I think its fine." Asami said.

"I know, this is just how I pass the time." Wash replied dryly. The bay was kinda silent, with Caboose sleeping on the floor, Tucker piloting the pelican and Mako and Bolin sleeping as well on the other sits.

"Thanks for not killing Mako." Asami said.

"You're welcomed." Wash dryly responded again. Before Asami could speak again, she was cut off by the Freelancer turned Spartan. "Listen, I'm not a very talkative person. You're wasting your time."

Asami sighed. "You know, there was a time when I was like this. After my father was killed in the fighting when the Covenant invaded." This sparked Wash's attention a bit but still he focused on his rifle. "I was helping Korra and the others fight off the Didact, when everything was over…I was told that an Elite had sliced him in two and paraded his head throughout the city before being ambushed by ODST troopers."

"I didn't know what to do then…my mother was killed when I was a kid and then…my dad….I was told that people like you…Spartans went through a lot of horrible things…I never got to actually speak with the Master Chief before but now I have you here and I just wanted to ask…what is it like? What is it like being a Spartan?" Asami asked.

Wash turned his head towards her, staring her in the eyes even if Asami didn't see the Freelancer's eyes behind the reflective orange visor of the MJOLNIR helmet. "Tough." Was the only thing that Wash said to her before resuming his rifle inspection.

"Oh…" Asami said, looking back at the floor, leaving the subject there.

The pelican flew above the great ocean, continuing its course.

* * *

><p><strong>Spirit World<strong>

"I am glad you came to visit us in the Spirit World, Korra." Iroh said as he, Korra and Kurt walked away from the forest. "You came just in time."

As they walked, Korra saw a small house with two picnic tables on its yard. Several spirits were sitting in them, and it looked like a party.

"We are having a little tea party to celebrate Mathium's wedding." Iroh said. Arriving there, Korra sat on the chair next to the newlyweds.

"How can you marry each other…aren't you…?" Korra asked the double headed frog spirit.

"Complete opposites? I know!" The female head said.

"I tried to fight it, but she really grew on me!" The male head, Mathium, added.

"The Spirit World is very mysterious, but so is love." Iroh explained. "Help yourself to some tea and cakes."

"Remember when I got here? It was something." Kurt asked his friend.

"I still remember you running around in circles, my friend." Iron replied.

Iroh placed a plate of cake in front of Korra, "These are spirit cakes so you won't gain any weight, of course you won't lose any either!" Iroh smiled.

"They taste good too." Kurt added as he drank a cup of tea.

"This part of the Spirit World isn't so scary." Korra said as she looked at the calm skies and serene grass fields beyond the small house. When one of the spirits grabbed the cake, Korra saw something very familiar. "My cape!" Korra saw a piece of red clothes on top of a stand in the middle of the table.

"That's right; it was yours a long, long, long time ago." Iroh said grabbing the small piece of cloth that once was a mighty red cape. "When you were Avatar Forthencho, you wore it when you met the light spirit, Raava. When the two of you, became one."

"It's my favorite thing I found here." Iroh said, he placed it around Korra's naked neck. "You can still feel the light in it."

Korra felt a small breeze once the piece of the cape was placed on her like a scarf; she closed her eyes and breathed. The feeling of remembrance entered her little body, as if she had been reunited with a long missing piece of her.

Korra turned to Kurt who was sitting next to her, "Who are you?" Korra asked him.

"I used to be a Spartan, little one." Kurt replied as he continued to sip from his cup.

* * *

><p>In another part of the Spirit World, Furryfoot flew Jinora towards what looked like Wong Shi Tong's hidden Library.<p>

"Wong Shi Tong's library? Why are you taking me here?" Jinora asked her spirit friend. It responded with some spirit language that Jinora understood.

"You think we can find out where Korra is there? If you say so." Jinora said they flew into the top tower of the library, descending towards the center. "Whoa… I could just stay here forever reading." Jinora was amazed at the number of books within the library.

But before she could begin to explore, a gigantic owl flew towards them, landing in front of them. "The last human who said that is still here." The owl said pointing with its left wing somewhere. Jinora looked and saw the dead, rotted body of a man…

"Professor Zei…" Jinora recognized the body from her grandfather's adventure stories.

"I see that you have some knowledge of the past so you should know that humans are no longer allowed in my library, get out." Wong Shi Tong said, scaring Furryfoot back away.

"I thought that anyone could come in if they brought you some new knowledge?" Jinora asked.

"Those were the old rules, besides….what does a little girl have to teach Wong Shi Tong? He who knows ten thousand things." The owl spirit said.

"Well since you've been down in the Spirit World, the humans have invented radio."

"Yes, I am well aware of the radio."

"But do you know how it works?"

"Of course I do, there is a box and inside the box there is a tiny man who sings and plays musical instruments."

"Actually, when we speak our voices produce soundwaves. Radio takes those soundwaves and converts them into electromagnetic energy that is transmitted through the spectrum…"

"Alright, enough!" Wong Shi Tong stopped her explanation. "I did not know this; apparently I have been fed some misinformation about the existence of tiny men in boxes." He turned towards one of his fox explorers irritated, the fox lowered its head in shame and walked away.

"Still, I am not interested in that human garbage. Now, go away." Wong Shi Tong insisted.

"How about some recent events?" Jinora asked.

"Hmm?"

"A couple of months ago, the material world was invaded by an alien armada called the Covenant. We fought it for weeks before an ancient being called the Didact was awaken inside the planet's core and proceeded to attack everyone. Luckily another species of humans came to help us from space with a man called the Master Chief who we though was a Star-Lord from ancient legends. The Didact then used his ship to travel to the other humans' world called Earth and attacked using his Composer weapon to turn a city of people into Promethean Knights who he would use to battle this parasite called the Flood and according to him save the universe. But then the Avatar and the Master Chief defeated the Didact and save the two material worlds and…"

"Two material worlds? The Didact? Star-Lords? Prometheans? Those are names I have not heard in a long time. It also seems like you know the Avatar."

"The previous Avatar was my grandfather; I came to the Spirit World with the new Avatar to find the spirit portals. I would think you would want to help me."

"You came with the Avatar…hm? Well why didn't you say this in the beginning? Fine, you may look around but don't break anything! I'll know." Wong Shi Tong spread his wings and flew away.

"Come on Furryfoot we got to hurry!"

* * *

><p>Back in Iroh's home, the spirits were playing Pai Sho with him. "It is said that the game of Pai Sho was invented by the spirits, although some of them don't seem to grasp it very well." Iroh said as a plant sprit was playing the game with Kurt.<p>

"Just hold on…I'm thinking." The spirit said as he scratched his 'head'.

"As you can see, it is a game that requires great patience." Iroh stated.

"Took me years just to learn the basics." Kurt said. "But we have all the time in the world here."

"How long have you two been here?" Korra asked.

"Oh I've been here for many years. I had always enjoyed the company of the spirits, so when my work was done in the material world I chose to leave my body behind and come to the Spirit World. It can be a wonderful place and I have made so many friends." Iroh answered.

"As for me, I don't remember really. After…my departure, I awoke nearby here, without my armor, my augmentations, my pain and my physical wounds. After a rocky start I began to love the peace of this place." Kurt said.

"Korra, what's wrong?" Iroh asked the kid Avatar.

"I came here with my friend…I lost her. Now I'm all alone." Korra said as her eyes watered.

"You are not alone, Korra. It's okay." Iroh said, but instead of calm her it instead angered the kid Avatar.

"No! It's not okay! Jinora is gone and I need to find her! She's lost and we need to go home and I don't like the Spirit World! I don't want to be here anymore!" Korra yelled, the spirits around her began to change and the storm on a nearby mountain began to expand, covering the sky.

"Oh uh…" Kurt said.

"Did you say something to her!?" The female head of the spirit frog yelled at her husband.

"Why me? You're the one with the big mouth!"

Iroh worried for his spirit friends and Korra, her emotions were turning everything dark. "Korra, please stop. Look at what you are doing to everyone."

Korra looked around; all of the spirits looked dark and aggressive. "I did that?" Korra asked.

"In the Spirit World, your emotions become your reality especially for the Avatar because you are the bridge between the two worlds." Iroh explained. "You must try to stay positive."

Iroh wiped a tear from Korra's eyes, "I'm sorry." Korra apologized to the spirits. Then everything turned back to normal, with the sun shining once more.

"There, you see?" Iroh said.

"I can make the sun shine?" Korra asked.

"Even in the material world, you will find that if you look for the light you can often find it. But fi you look for the dark…that is all you will ever see." Iroh stated, and then Korra got an idea.

"I'm looking for my friend, I want her here now." Korra focused in what she wanted, but nothing happened. "Why she didn't come out like the sun?"

"That's different, kiddo." Kurt said. "Finding this friend of yours will be a tad bit more difficult."

"But what am I supposed to do?" Korra asked.

"Sometimes the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else." Iroh said, he then looked at the little phoenix standing on the table with them. "This little fella needs to go home as well, maybe if you help him and find his friends you will be able to find yours." He hand the baby phoenix to Korra.

"I'll take him home. Where do I go?" Korra asked.

"The dragon-phoenix nest is located there, at the top of Hai-Riyo Peak." He pointed at the mountain covered in darkness.

* * *

><p>Back in the library, Jinora was looking for books about Harmonic Convergence. The information would prove useful to use if Korra wanted to close the portals before it. She looked at one of the books she took out.<p>

"Agh! It's not here either! I have to find the portals, Korra is probably waiting for me there right now!" Jinora said to herself, she turned to see one of the library's fox information seekers. "I need to find a map that shows where the spirit portals are, can you help me?"

The fox went sniffing for the book she wanted, it took out a funny looking book out of its place and gave it to Jinora. She opened it and looked for the information she wanted. "Thanks! This is it." Jinora petted the fox.

"The Tree of Time…that's where Avatar Forthencho imprisoned Vaatu. The elders believed that as long as the portals remained closed during the Harmonic Convergence, Vaatu will remain imprisoned and the battle between good and evil will not be fought again. But if both portals are opened spirit energies are amplified greatly. During the Harmonic Convergence, this energy will be great enough to allow Vaatu break from his bonds and the material world will once again risk to be consumed by eternal darkness." Jinora read the ancient text.

She gasped from what she had learned. "We have to warn Korra!" She told Furryfoot.

"Leaving so soon?" Wong Shi Tong asked.

"When Wong Shi Tong told he had a visitor I had to see it with my own eyes." Unalaq and Jul Mdama stood in front of the owl spirit. "I can't believe Tenzin sent his daughter here instead of coming here himself. What kind of a father is he?"

"Better than you." Jinora responded angrily. "Wong Shi Tong, how can you be helping them?"

"Unalaq and Jul have proven to be true friends to the spirits, unlike the Avatar." Wong Shi Tong replied.

"Why would you want to help Vaatu escape? He'll destroy everything!"

"Don't believe everything you read." Unalaq said. "Why don't you come with me? That way you can do some firsthand research."

Jinora slowly back backwards in fear but was stopped by Furryfoot, who began to change by Unalaq's very presence. Jinora turned to see her once loveable spirit friend turn against her.

"Furryfoot?"

* * *

><p>Close to Hai-Riyo Peak, Korra, Iroh and Kurt stood in front of the way towards the peak of the mountain.<p>

"This looks scary." Korra said. "Will you come with me?"

"This is something you must do on your own." Iroh said. "The people who have been coming to the Spirit World lately have brought darkness and anger. So that's what you see now, but you have light and peace inside of you. If you let it out you can change the world around you."

"And someone has to watch out for old sage here." Kurt said.

Korra nodded and Iroh smiled, "Besides, look at this little fella. This mountain is his home, when you first met him you were frightened, but does he seem scary to you now?"

"No." Korra responded as she petted the small dragon-phoenix softly.

"Many things that look threatening in the dark become welcoming when we shine light on them." Iroh hugged the small Avatar, saying goodbye. "It was good to meet you, come visit me again. In this life or the next."

"Bye." Korra said her goodbyes to both the elder Dragon of the West and the former Spartan-II as she walked away towards the mountain. "Come little guy, let's get you home."

Walking just a few steps, Korra noticed that she had actually walked all the way to the base of the mountain. She looked at the dark peak, it thundered and bolts of lightning struck that peak every so often.

"Light and peace, light and peace, light and peace…" Korra repeated as she walked towards the peak.

As she made her way there, she was stopped by a pack of dark lion dogs. Their fearful visages froze Korra in place. "I am not afraid …" The dark dog lions began to get too close to her, sniffing the small kid Avatar. "You just look that way…"

"I have light inside." Korra then placed one her hands on one of the dark lion dogs, "My name is Korra and I'm taking this dragon-phoenix home."

Suddenly the dark storm above began to dissipate, allowing the sun to shine on the mountain once more. The lion dogs then turned back to normal, licking Korra in gratitude. "Heheh, I knew you were nice." Korra said.

"You want to help me?" Korra asked the dogs, they led her safely to the peak. Once on top of the mountain, Korra found the nest where the little dragon-phoenix's brothers were.

She reunited them finally, but something majestic happened. The small baby dragon-phoenixes combined into one beautiful fully grown phoenix. It flew around Korra and the dogs; finally Korra had learned her lesson. Her reality changed once more and Korra was not an afraid little girl anymore but the tough and brave young woman again.

The phoenix offered her a ride, Korra climbed on its back. "Alright, not let's close those portals and find Jinora." Korra told the phoenix, it flew towards its objective followed by the spirit lion dogs.

* * *

><p>The phoenix flew them towards the portal site, where the Tree of Time resided. "That's where Vaatu is." Korra said noticing the tree. The majestic being landed next to one of the portals, Korra hopped off it and went to close it.<p>

It looked Precursor all right; it looked exactly how she had seen it in Forthencho's time.

"_**So you have returned Raava.**_" The dark voice of Vaatu stopped Korra. She was suddenly standing in front of her dark equivalent. "_**The Harmonic Convergence is coming soon, and this time I am going to wipe you out for good.**_"

"I think you've said that before, Vaatu." Korra responded. "But I'm here to close the portal, you are not getting out."

Korra proceeded to close the spire portal, "_**You might want to reconsider, that is if you want to save your friend.**_" Vaatu said. From behind the tree, Unalaq appeared holding Jinora hostage in dark spirit water.

"Jinora…!" Korra couldn't believe her eyes; she ran to save her but was stopped by the dark Furryfoot. She was now surrounded by the once again darkened spirit lion dogs. "I can't believe I trusted you! You made me believe that you wanted to restore balance with the spirits but this isn't balance its madness!"

"Now let her go!" Korra demanded.

"If you want your friend to make out of the Spirit World you will open the other spirit spire." Unalaq responded. "Now!"

"Don't do it Korra!" Jinora yelled, but then Unalaq began to bend the dark spirit water to corrupt Jinora's spirit.

"What will it be? Open the portal or lose your friend's soul forever?" Unalaq gave her an ultimatum.

"Stop! I'll do it." Korra gave in; she couldn't allow Jinora to die. She escorted by her enemies towards the still closed northern spire. She placed her right hand on the Precursor scanner that was on the control panel next to the gate. To fully activate the spire, Korra entered the Avatar State forcing the spire to come back to life.

The spirit energies burst out of the spire towards the sky, now both the northern and southern portals were active. Vaatu could feel the infinite amounts of energy feeding both him and the Tree of Life, the spirits screamed as they were bathed in the portal's energy.

"Now let Jinora go." Korra said, but she was attacked by Unalaq with water. The water hit her on the arm, hurting her form.

"You should've come through the portal then you could do this!" Unalaq mocked her as he attacked unrelentingly. Korra did her best to evade these attacks since she couldn't bend at all; the only way to bend in the Spirit World was to come through one of the portals.

The dark Furryfoot then flew away taking Jinora with it. "Korra!" The young aribender yelled as she was taken away.

Korra ran towards her direction but was being attacked by Unalaq. But before she could reach Furryfoot an Elite came out of nowhere and pushed her into the ground. "Agh!" Korra yelled as the alien activated its energy sword.

The Elite laughed at how weak Korra was, Unalaq bended some dark spirit water around Korra. He began to corrupt her soul as he had tried with Jinora, he was close until the phoenix returned and swiped him away and grabbed the Elite Zealot with its peak and threw him into the spiky sierra around the tree.

It quickly grabbed Korra and flew away to safety, "_**I'll see you soon Raava! Once the Harmonic Convergence comes I will be free from this prison and then I will have my revenge!**_"

* * *

><p><strong>Eastern Air Temple<strong>

Korra jolted back to the material world, she gasped for air. Everyone around noticed and quickly went to help her. "Korra! What was it like?" Tenzin asked. The UNSC soldiers, Thorne and the others grouped behind Tenzin. "Did you manage to close the portal? Was Jinora able to help you?"

The look in Korra's face said it all, full of immense regret and fear. "Tenzin…I'm…I'm sorry." Korra began to sweat.

Tenzin then looked at Jinora's body; it was still idle…without movement. "Where's Jinora?" He asked.

"W-why isn't she waking up!?" Tenzin asked again, he went to her but Jinora just fell on his arms. "Korra! What happened to my little girl!?"

Korra's eyes began to water, she couldn't handle it. It was her fault…she thought. It was all her fault.


	13. Once More Into the Breach

**Eastern Air Temple**

"Now that the Avatar is awake we can proceed with extraction." The marine pilot said, the Vulture still hovered above waiting to pick Korra and the others up.

"Jinora…" Tenzin quietly said as he held an idle Jinora in his arms. Korra hadn't said a word ever since coming back from the Spirit World. There was now a greater chance for Vaatu to escape and Jinora was now lost in the Spirit World. Things couldn't get worse.

"We have signal." The vulture pilot told the hornet pilots.

"UNSC?"

"Yes, a pelican. Hold on…it has a full Spartan team in it and three other unidentified individuals."

Thorne heard their conversation; this could be Majestic and Korra's friends coming to see if she was here. After all, Majestic probably received Thorne's armor signal via GPS.

"Sounds like there's a pelican coming in." Thorne told the group.

"Hopefully it's some of your Spartan friends." Kya said. The pelican rushed towards them, descending close by behind some tree lines.

"Come, let's go meet them." Thorne said. "Korra you okay?"

"I'm fine." Korra followed them. The pilots were going to wait a bit and make a report back to Lasky, Tenzin stayed with his daughter. On their way towards the pelican they noticed that the dropship had turned off its engines instead of putting them in stand-by.

"Stop." Thorne said making the group halt on their footsteps inside the thin forest. The Spartan-IV then saw movement; he didn't even need his helmet for this. He could see them, blue flashes through the trees. "They're not friendly."

Then Thorne felt the cold touch of a magnum's barrel right next to his head's exposed skin. "You have no idea."

* * *

><p><strong>Inside Requiem<strong>

"Halo, the spiritual weapon that you promised me." Unalaq said as he spoke with Jul. "Once we free Vaatu, you will tell me its coordinates."

"You are getting harder to work with, human." Jul said in an arrogant voice. "Our alliance is temporary, once the dark one is out it will power the great machine and transport the living god back to us."

"The Didact will be brought back yes, but I want the Ring in my grasps, understood?"

The two of them walked towards the room where the Master Chief had talked with the Librarian months ago, there a full team of Elites awaited with their newest prize; Catherine Halsey.

"What is this Jul? You told me no one else would know." Halsey said.

"Welcome doctor, it's an honor to meet the creator of such forces of nature that you call Spartans." Unalaq said with a smirk.

"Those are not my Spartans, Chieftan." Halsey responded. "Yes, I know who you are."

"I'm flattered. It seems that my alien colleague needs you to re-awake the Librarian." Unalaq informed the good doctor while he looked at the great machine that housed the Librarian AI. "She holds many secrets."

"What are you doing here, Unalaq? From the reports I've read about you, you're not the power hungry type." Halsey said.

"While I detest the power plays that kings and queens always seem to use, I see their usefulness as a means to an end." Unalaq answered. "Only I know of the true relationship between man and spirit, and I plan to bring the balance to the material world that the Avatar has failed to bring in more than 100,000 years."

"You're deluded." Halsey replied.

"Am I?" Unalaq said smiling. "The world needs a savior, and I intend to spread this glory of chaos once I am done with this planet."

"And how do you intend in doing that?"

"You will see when the time comes, as for now…I suggest in helping Jul with the machine as you promised." Unalaq exited the building leaving Halsey in the grasps of the Covenant.

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

The city was once again in the middle of a warzone, this time 4 city sectors at once. While not the once great invasion that the Covenant had employed months ago, it was still a red alert and showed several clear fallacies in the UNSC's security systems.

ODST Team 4, otherwise known as Buck's ODST team had been dropped into the city to reinforce Sector 3 and its Marine Corp garrison. While not in direct battle in the war that was still raging in the Southern Water Tribe, Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck had been keeping a constant watch on that conflict.

"I still can't believe that the Covenant just appeared out of nowhere. I mean no ships, no lights, no nothing." Mickey said as the ODST team was under Covenant plasma fire.

"Less talking more shootin!" Dutch yelled. "Like the Rookie here!"

The Rookie fired his Silenced SMG at the incoming Grunts down the streets while taking cover behind a wrecked satomobile. Buck and Romeo were supporting Dutch, Rookie and Mickey from a couple of yards back with Sniper Rifle support.

"To your left." Romeo said.

"I see him." Buck responded shooting his sniper with a loud bang ripping the brains off a Jackal's skull. Even then more Covenant troops seemed to be coming, not stopping in their advance towards the city's heart where most of the civilians that lived on the attacked city sectors had been evacuated to.

"There are more coming in, with Zealots leading the charge!" Buck told the others ahead.

"Looks that bad?" Romeo asked.

"Yes, really bad. Wait…" Buck kept looking through the sights of his sniper. "An United Forces regiment has made contact with that Covenant wave up ahead."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Dutch yelled, the ODST team moved forward to help the UF soldiers. They went in guns blazing, helping the waterbenders and earthbenders in that UF regiment.

"Get some!" Dutch said as he charged up his Spartan Laser and releasing the trigger, a super-heated laser beam burned through a Covenant infantry line burning them to a fine crisp instantly.

Buck switched his sniper for his old and reliable MA5C Assault Rifle; he had kept ever since the Fall of Reach and it had never failed him. Back then it was newer but still, it worked as well then and so does now. The bullets struck the strong shields of the golden armored Elite Zealot, the great Sangheili roared in anger setting its eyes on Buck.

The Zealot swung its energy sword at three UF soldiers, slicing them in half in one swing. Buck jolted away from the energy powered swing of the sword, instead slicing and dicing through the concrete cover.

Buck still fired his rifle, the bullets doing damage to the strong shields but the Elite still came for him. There was only one thing to do, Buck took out one of his frags and led the Elite towards him. "How about a gift!?" Buck threw the frag on the ground once the Elite came close enough.

Buck quickly jumped behind thick cover before the Elite could even react. The once powerful Zealot had been now replaced by a cloud of smoke; Buck peeked out of cover to see his work and sighed.

The Rookie and Mickey both fired their SMGs at the shielded Jackals, the bullets bounding off the shields of the aliens. The Rookie instead used his SOCOM to pinpoint at the small hole in between the shields. The device that powered it, the gauntlet while Mickey provided fire support.

And bang and bang, the Jackals were left shield-less temporarily, Mickey took the chance and filled them with lead. "Nice work, Rook." Mickey gave the Rookie thumbs up. The Rookie just nodded.

Dutch and Romeo had it easier, the combination of lasers and .50 cal bullets really reduced the numbers of this Covenant advance. And that's not even putting into account the massive rocks and lightning bolts falling on top of unlucky Covenant troopers. "This is like Christmas!" Romeo stated as he headshotted four Elites in a row.

"You're joking right?" Dutch used his Spartan Laser to cook the double of Romeo's kills. "That's how you make a fine Covenant meal."

"Hunter!" Mickey yelled, a Covenant Hunter smashed through an adjacent building's walls smashing through unfortunate soldiers.

"What now!?" Romeo asked.

"My laser is all out of juice." Dutch responded.

"Everyone fire at once!" Buck ordered but before the combine force of the ODSTs and the surviving benders could do a thing, the Hunter was taken down by heavy amounts of raw electricity. It fell hard on top of Elite corpses. On it stood someone Buck wouldn't have expected to see again.

"Sergeant."

"Amon."

* * *

><p><strong>Eastern Air Temple<strong>

"Now, you two slowly back away from the Avatar and my friend here." Washington said as he aimed a magnum at Thorne's head and another at Kya and Bumi who slowly backed away from the others.

Tucker and Caboose aimed their guns and Korra who was holding them in place with earthbending, "Uh Wash, I can't move." Tucker said.

"I can't see anything." Caboose added while a piece of rock blocked his vision.

"She's using earthbending." Wash stated, "Just hold for a while."

"What do you want?" Thorne asked them.

"We've been ordered to bring you and the Avatar back to Maj. Wright." Wash responded. "That's all you gonna get, AWOL."

"ONI has a play on this." Thorne said.

"Do I have to this the hard way?" Wash asked, but before he could act a voice called to him.

"Stop!" Asami yelled as she and the bending brothers came running towards them. "Don't shoot!"

"This is getting really uncomfortable." Tucker said as the earth beneath him kept pulling him down like quicksand.

Mako and Bolin quickly took fighting stance once they got near Wash and the others. "Let him go." Mako told him.

Wash sighed and placed his magnums on the sides of thighs, "I got orders, and you two will come with me." Wash said.

Bumi and Kya were relieved that this hadn't escalated; Korra let Tucker and Caboose out of their rocky mess. "Ouch…" Tucker said.

Korra then noticed that Mako had arrived and quickly ran towards him, hugging and kissing the young firebender. Asami was distraught as soon as Korra jumped on Mako, Bolin resisted the urge to say anything. "Missed you." Korra said.

"Uh…ah…yeah." Mako replied.

"Something wrong?" Korra asked.

Mako looked at her and then glanced back at Asami who was extremely angry looking and then back at Korra. "Uh nothing. I'm okay."

"Smooth." Bolin said.

"This is nice and sweet and all but I still want to be done with this stupid mission." Tucker said.

"I want a pony." Caboose added.

"Avatar, there is no middle ground here. You are wanted by the Office of Naval Intelligence, what they say goes in black ops." Wash said as he walked towards Korra, towering over her. "Now you better comply."

"How about I don't and you tell your superiors to stick a stick up their wiener slots." Korra responded.

"Oh man, Wash. She just burned you." Tucker stated.

"Are you the former Freelancer? Agent Washington?" Thorne asked the former Freelancer.

"What about it?"

"Weren't you through serving shadow masters?" Thorne asked.

"This is different."

"Not really, you are still being told bad things with the excuse of the greater good." Thorne said, Wash didn't respond.

"I'm a soldier now, I don't hold an opinion. I carry orders." Washington replied. "Orders are orders."

"Too many atrocities have been done in the sake of orders." Tenzin walked towards them. "There is a great evil looming on the horizon that will consume all of us. You're a Spartan, a warrior not a soldier."

Washington stood silent glaring at the ground, "What do you have in mind then?"

"We need to get to the southern portal into the Spirit World; there we can close the portals." Korra said.

"That place is no-man's land, hell I heard that the Covenant has appeared there too." Tucker informed them. "No way we are going there."

"Do we get to make snowmen? I love Frosty." Caboose annoyingly said.

"We can't go back to Control empty handed, Tucker." Washington replied. "Count us in, Avatar. I'm tired of being a puppet of darkness."

"Yes! Now we have four awesome super-soldiers in New Team Avatar!" Bolin rejoiced.

"Now what do I tell those pilots?" Thorne asked.


	14. Exodus

**UNSC Infinity**

"This is the Infinity Bridge, all Spartans report to your stations immediately! Covenant intrusion in multiple decks, all available combat units please respond!" The alarm system resonated through the massive ship's halls. Spartan-IVs and Marines alike fired their weapons at the advancing Covenant onslaught inside the ship's engines.

Fireteam Crimson and Jaeger had been sent to exterminate the Covenant forces that were planning on sabotaging the Infinity with Plasma bombs. Bolts of super-heated plasma flew into a marine's chest, melting through the metal armor as a hot knife through butter. The marine fell dead instantly, next to him was Spartan Yuang of Fireteam Crimson.

"Keep firing!" Yuang ordered his fellow Spartans, Spartans Luke and Alonso. "Eren!" He shouted at the gold-dark brown Ranger-class armored Spartan who was strangling Grunts with his hands. "Take your team towards the left side, up the stairs and take out the Field Masters commanding this attack!"

Spartan Eren nodded and quickly motioned to his team and left towards the left side, firing at several Jackals along the way.

"Anymore plasma charges lying around?" Alonso asked.

"There is probably one more near the Elites over there, but those guys got energy swords! I won't be getting close to them, no way!" Luke responded.

"We won't have much of a choice, Luke. You're the fastest and strongest of us here, we will keep covering fire on you along with the Marines over here as they pick up the Jackals over there and…"

"Uh…Yuang…" Alonso said as he lowered his DMR.

"What is it?"

"Look." Alonso replied, they saw how one singular Spartan ran through the hail of plasma fire and took down three Grunts, five Jackals, three Elite minors and two Elite majors single handily. The last Elite there ignited its energy sword in anger, it roared aggressively but it did not scare the lone Spartan.

She quickly ran towards the Elite, avoiding the slashes as a leaf in the wind, her shields not even being touched by the plasma sword. She took out her titanium-A combat knife and…purple blood jumped out of the Elite's neck as the Spartan ran the blade down its neck into the alien's chest. The shields popped and the Elite fell dead on the metallic floor.

The Marines quickly ran upwards to secure the area of tangos, Crimson followed still impressed by the actions of this one Spartan-IV. "You part of Fireteam Jaeger correct?" Yuang asked.

The Spartan nodded, "Spartan Ackerman, sir." She saluted.

"Rendezvous with your team, they'll need your help in clearing out the Field Master and his guards in the adjacent halls to the engine room." Yuang ordered. The Spartan saluted again and quickly left for her team.

"Found the bomb." Luke said, stomping the alien bomb's timer. The device fell silent, signaling that it was out of commission.

"Crimson to Infinity Bridge, the engine room has been clear, over." Yuang informed.

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

"Fancy seeing you here." Buck said as he reloaded his assault rifle. "Still with the mask?"

"Good to see you again, Trooper. Ever since our last encounter we have been preparing for the alien's counter attack." Amon replied. "Unlike the fools in the south, and in the governmental body."

"Last I remember you were some sort of revolutionary, you still look the part." Buck responded not trusting Amon.

"Do not confuse my motives, Trooper. I'm still fighting for the rights of non-benders everywhere, by force. The United Republic might've passed laws, chosen a non-bending councilmember and President but it's still all just the same. My truce with the government is temporary, but as for now we are once again fighting in the same side." Amon said. "Equalists, help the ODSTs and the rest of the benders in clearing out this city."

These Equalists weren't like the ones that Buck had seen months ago, these ones seemed to be wearing Marine BDUs painted black, probably stolen from UNSC armories.

"Can we trust these guys?" Dutch asked Buck.

"For now, I'll talk with General Iroh once we get to the HQ." Buck replied.

* * *

><p><strong>Flying Over the Mo Ce Sea<strong>

"So, what's the plan?" Mako asked the ones sitting inside the pelican's troop bay. Washington, Korra, Asami, Bolin, Thorne, Kya, and Bumi, they were on their way towards the South Pole and would probably be caught in the crossfire between the UNSC, the Southern Rebels and the Northern Water Tribe Army. Tucker was piloting while Caboose was co-piloting, luckily that co-pilot's controls were turned off.

"As of now we should head back to Republic City to stock up on ammo and armor, you all will need it." Washington stated. "We can worry about the assault later."

"You think we have enough time?" Korra asked.

"The Marines back on Republic City have been keeping HQ clean of Covenant." Wash replied.

"Covenant?" Korra asked. "What happened?"

"There was a sudden Covenant attack hours ago, we lost contact with Control and the Infinity Command at that moment as well." Washington explained. "That was after we had been ordered by Major Wright to hunt you down, Avatar."

"Then we better ask some questions as soon as we arrive." Korra said.

"No, you'll be arrested as soon we touchdown. You should stay in the pelican, Bolin and I can bring you some armor when we come back." Mako responded.

"I can't just sit here! I have to know why the Major wanted to do with me." Korra replied.

"The Marines stationed in the HQ are probably already busy enough fighting with the Covenant, leaving a small garrison of Military Police and Officers inside the FLEETCOM building." Thorne said. "You could easily enter without any of them putting a finger on you."

"That's a dumb plan, Thorne." Washington dismissed Thorne's suggestion. "The MPs would shoot her on sight if she used her bending."

"I can handle myself." Korra stated. "The Major will have some explaining to do."

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

Buck and his team ran towards HQ, they needed to regroup with the rest of their ODST Company. The street, no, the entire block had been evacuated as soon as the Covenant hit. Still the aliens' attack had come in in full force, bodies of United Forces soldiers and civilians littered the road, with burned cars just filling everything with smoke.

The soldiers didn't go out without a fight; several Elites could be seen with ice spikes in their chests, burnt Grunts and crushed Jackals underneath boulders of rock. It had been a fierce battle that had ended with both parties exterminating each other.

Buck ignored the sight of death and kept running back towards HQ with his squad. While they were on their way their radios returned to working condition with the signal back to Control coming back online.

"This is Sgt. Stacker to all UNSC units; we have hostiles entering the command central! I repeat, we have hostiles inside our operations base! All available units are ordered to return back to base!"

"You heard that Gunny?" Dutch asked.

"Yeah. Troopers move! Double time!" Buck yelled.

* * *

><p>Team Avatar's Pelican hovered above the broken streets that surrounded the UNSCUF HQ, Tucker landed the bird on the landing zone outside the main barracks. The pelican's bay opened, Korra hopped off and looked around.

"Looks deserted." Korra said.

"Everyone else is either out fighting or inside gearing up." Washington said.

"Let's go before we get shot by plasma fire." Thorne stated. They walked towards the main entrance of the base, with the FLEETCOM building being on the far end of the base pass the medical tents and utilities tents.

"Y'know, what did they name this place anyway?" Bolin asked.

"Camp Preston Cole." Thorne answered. "Named after one of Earth's greatest heroes."

While they walked Asami checked her sidearm, the M6G Magnum. She had been keeping it with her ever since the Master Chief had given it to her. She had given the weapon a name, "Heroshi" in honor to her dead father. It only had three bullets left, maybe when they got to get the armors she could find some pistol ammo lying around.

"I see you favor a .45." Washington said as he walked beside Asami. "One hell of a gun."

"Yeah, its grip it's big enough to allow my hand to easily aim it and the trigger slides easy on the finger." Asami said. "I prefer using it to the big rifles."

"The building is over there, I'll be back." Korra said as she ran towards the FLEETCOM building alone.

The rest entered the armory, stockpiles of Marine BDUs and spare ODST helmets could be found inside crates. The Marines had taken some of the bigger guns since Tucker found the Spartan Lasers and Rocket Launchers gone. Still there were plenty of SMGs, Assault Rifles and pistols lying around for the taking.

Asami found a handful of pistol magazines and put them in the pouches of her Marine BDU she had put on. Mako had found a complete ODST BDU minus the helmet in one of the storage boxes, Bolin just got some used up Marine BDU with plasma burns over the metal plates. Bumi buttoned up his old United Forces officer's jacket and placed on a UNSC sergeant's cap on. Kya preferred to go armor less, saying that the armor would just slow her down.

"Your armor is pretty banged up, dude." Tucker said noticing that Thorne's MJOLNIR armor was damaged.

"It still works." Thorne said.

"Guys I found some awesome pineapples!" Caboose said showing them a crate full of grenades.

"Caboose you better leave those alone." Tucker said.

Washington found some extra clips for his Battle Rifle, and decided this was enough. He though that this was the beginning of the storm, he wanted to take a breather before going into hell. He took out his MJOLNIR MK VI helmet and put it on a nearby bench.

His face was pale from the lack of sunlight hitting his skin and a scar came down from his right eyebrow to his cheekbone. His short brown hair had streaks of white along his sideburns, Washington knew that he had done some pretty messed up shit throughout his career as a Freelancer before joining the Spartans.

It was thanks to the simulation soldiers that he was finally freed from his shackles and truly be able to fight for something. And the UNSC offered him a purpose, but now there was that darkness trying to pull him down once again. Wanting him to be a weapon more than a person.

"You okay?" Asami asked the former Freelancer turned Spartan. Wash quickly placed his helmet back on once she asked him.

"Found your gear?" Wash asked, Asami nodded. "Then get back to the pelican."

Inside the FLEETCOM building, Korra found the hallways to be empty aside from the Military Police officers running around answering calls from the officers on the field.

"There it is." Korra said as she found the Major's office. Instead of knocking she busted the door down with a strong kick. "Major!"

Major Wright was surprised by Korra's sudden appearance dropping whatever he was doing. "Korra!?" The Major said as he was quickly grabbed by the collar by Korra.

"You sent out a Spartan team to hunt me down! Why!?" Korra asked him pinning him to the wall easily.

"Gah! I was just…following orders!" Wright responded. "You are…are doing a dire…offense to the UNSC!"

"Who ordered you!?" Korra asked again.

"I can't!"

Korra bended fire on her hand like a dagger and placed it near the Major's neck, "Who ordered you!?"

"The…the same people who…who ordered the attack on the Water Tribes…grr…the same people who sent out those Hawks to take you and Thorne down." Wright said.

"Who!?" Korra yelled as she neared her fire dagger to the officer's throat.

"The spooks! Naval Intelligence!"

Korra's eyes opened in surprise, her grip on the Major weakened and he fell on the floor. "Major, there have been many innocent lives put at risk because of you and your superior's actions. It ends today." Korra said leaving the Major's office.

At the exit, three Military Police officers stood on the exit doors. "Move." Korra said. The soldiers aimed their Assault Rifles; Korra knew she had no choice. She bended a powerful gust of air at the soldiers blowing them and the doors behind them away. She ran towards the pelican but before she could there was an alarm, she looked around and saw Hunters ramming through the tents and walls of the base.

Korra gasped and quickly continued her path towards the pelican. Mako waited outside the dropship for Korra who quickly got in. "Get this thing on the air now!" Korra yelled.

"You don't have to scream! Geez." Tucker responded turning the dropship on and making it hover in the air. From the opened bay door of the pelican, Korra saw how the Covenant had broken the defensive lines of the base and proceeded to raise hell.

"Did you get what you needed?" Washington asked.

"Yeah, but that will have to wait. We have to stop the Harmonic Convergence." Korra responded. The pelican then flew towards the south.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

Lasky contacted the UNSC fleet captains to explain to them what had occurred. After it was over, he was hailed by someone back on Earth.

Lasky sat on his office and brought the video feed online. "Captain."

"Admiral." Lasky responded to the only person who would crush him like a bug and probably outsmart Lord Hood in a game of chess. "Admiral Osman."

"I've gotten reports from several officers on Requiem of another incident occurring at this very moment." Admiral Serin Osman stated.

"Ma'am, I'm to report to Fleet Admiral Hood, not anyone else." Lasky replied.

"The Fleet Admiral will be briefed; I've been given authorization over this operation. Now, I've received a clear report a moment ago that Catherine Halsey had been capture by enemy forces under your nose."

"The Covenant and their allies attacked us, teleporting inside the ship bypassing our defenses. Even so, Admiral I am afraid that the situation here is more complex than just Halsey's disappearance."

"Is that so?"

"Ma'am, someone ordered my fleet to send an ODST drop on the planet's population. It was done when I was on a mission planetside. That someone was Captain Kent of the UNSC By The Maker, a UNSC Prowler."

"Captain Kent was sent to oversee your mission, Captain Lasky. But it doesn't matter anymore with the war on the planet going on. Captain, you have new orders now. Your primary objective is to prevent Halsey to giving vital UNSC information to the Covenant."

"And how do you want us to proceed?"

"Scorched earth, Captain. Kill Halsey on sight."


	15. Darkness Returns

**Southern Water Tribe**

The pelican flew towards the South Pole, as they passed over the war-torn nation the New Team Avatar could see the destroyed cities below them. UNSC tanks rolled through leveled houses with ODSTs running around fighting the Northern Water Tribe army troopers. Korra sighed at the sight, chaos was king here…and she couldn't even stop it before it happened. She believed that she had worsened but now they headed towards the South Pole and hopefully prevent eternal darkness from encompassing the entire world.

"We got radio contact with…someone below." Tucker said. "Hey Avatar girl, they want to talk to you."

Korra entered the cockpit of the pelican which was actually big enough to hold two people; Caboose was sleeping on the floor of the dropship's troop bay. "Who's this?" Korra asked through the radio.

"Honey, its dad."

"Dad!? Where are you?!"

"I'm with Varrick and some resistance members out in tundra; we met with some UNSC Spartans on the way here. They gave us the radio signal which every pelican uses to communicate. They said that they had gotten reports of the Avatar raiding the camp at Republic City and threatening the Major there and then escaping in a stolen pelican as the Covenant destroyed the base." Tonraq said.

"Yeah, I had reasons. Dad, we are heading towards the southern portal, can you meet us there?" Korra asked.

"Sure, there is a Northern Water Tribe army garrison there at the moment surrounding it. We can meet at the outskirts."

"See you there Dad." Korra turned towards the troop bay where the others were. "Thorne, I think we found Majestic."

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

Buck and his teammates arrived to Camp Preston Cole, which now lay in ruins. UNSC Army Troopers fell back there to fend off the Covenant Storm attacking it. Apparently every other Marine battle group which were being supported by Spartans fireteams had been stopped in the way there by Promethean Knights. This was going south fast and Buck knew if they lost the officers in Camp Cole then they could say good bye to their ground support.

"This is full of shit!" Romeo said as he sniped the Covenant soldiers over the building that once was the barracks. "We were supposed to be ready for this kind of bullshit!"

"Cover those soldiers, Dutch!" Buck ordered, Dutch ran to assist the Army troopers with his Spartan Laser. "We have to get inside the FLEETCOM building and extract any and all survivor!"

"How are going to do that?!" Mickey asked.

"Rookie, you go and get any survivors inside of that building to safety. I don't care how, but do it. We'll support the soldiers to clean out the courtyard and give you some fire support. Go!"

The Rookie ran towards this objective, taking cover behind pieces of fallen concrete. United Forces soldiers had entered the area; this would probably help the others against the Covenant onslaught. The lone ODST fired his Silenced SMG at a group of Grunts firing at him as he ran from cover to cover.

Hunters tore through the cement cover of the UNSC soldiers with their giant plasma cannons. The benders of the United Forces earthbended the ground beneath the Hunters, making holes beneath the walking tanks trapping them between rock and rock. The Rookie entered the FLEETCOM building, seeing the dead bodies of the Military Police that stayed to protect the officers, along with them about three to four dead Elite Majors with energy swords dead on the ground.

They had given everything to protect their station, the Rookie kept his gun steady since anything could happen in tight quarters. He activated his helmet's VISR mode to see better in the dark hallways of the concrete building after the lights died. No movement and no enemies.

The Rookie entered General Iroh's office…empty. Then the other officers' quarters, there he found some of them dead with gashing wounds on their chests. He then went to Major Wright's office; the door had been broken down with a powerful gust of air. It looked like a tornado had ravaged the room; the Rookie went to see if the Major had hidden below his desk. There he saw him dead having been slayed by an energy sword to his abdomen…seemed like the mission to extract the officers was a total failure.

"Soldier." A voice came from behind him. The ODST turned to see a very injured General Iroh being carried by Lord Zuko. "My grandson needs medical assistance!"

Buck and the others continued fighting, there was no end to the Covenant advance even after more support rolled in, Scorpion and Grizzly tanks entered the fray along with limited air support of Shortswords making bombing runs over the Covenant's position. The Gunnery Sergeant then noticed the Rookie coming out of the building with Lord Zuko carrying a wounded General Iroh.

"Romeo, protect the Rookie!" Buck ordered, the sniper turned his gaze from the heated battle towards the Rookie and the others. He fired at any incoming enemy getting too close to them.

"He's losing too much blood!" Lord Zuko said as they went towards the UNSC/UF lines, sniper fire ringing around them.

The Rookie looked at the wounded Gen. Iroh, there we slashes around arms and legs and several plasma burns on his torso. The man had been fighting, alone, against at least an entire Covenant battalion from the looks of it and lived, for now anyway, this earned Iroh the Rookie's respect even if this was their first time meeting each other.

Getting to the UNSC/UF lines, Buck and other UF soldiers helped Lord Zuko and the Rookie take the injured Gen. Iroh to safe cover. "He doesn't look too good." Buck said.

"Help my grandson!" Lord Zuko yelled.

"His wounds are plasma based; they are sealed from the intense heat. It's a miracle that he isn't dead." The medic said, the medic took out a biofoam canister and placed some of the healing foam on the more gruesome wounds. "This is just temporary, will prevent some of the internal bleeding from going haywire. We need to get him to a proper medical facility, like in the Infinity."

"We haven't been able to re-establish radio contact with the Infinity." Buck said. "Our best chance is to signal a pelican and get it to take us to the Infinity but the area is too hot for any support air units to land around."

"I will help to clear the perimeter, trooper. The Covenant will pay." Lord Zuko said standing up. Small bolts of electricity came out of his hands. "Take care of him." He ran towards the battle zone.

"For an old guy, the man has some spark." Dutch said.

"How many Covenant are left?" Buck asked.

"Several. It would take us a lot more firepower just to take all of them in one full blow, but all of the other teams are meeting Promethean resistance out in the other districts." Dutch replied. "A lot more UF support is coming our way though, with some of the Equalists making their move here as well."

"So, we need to hold until then." Buck said, Dutch nodded. "Then settle in gentlemen. Doc, keep the General alive until we have this place Covenant-free."

"Yes sir."

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

Korra's pelican landed out in the freezing tundra of the South Pole, they stepped out of the pelican to meet Tonraq and Majestic squad. "Dad!" Korra said hugging her dad.

"It's good to see you too, sweetheart." Tonraq replied.

"Look who got himself a new team." Madsen said welcoming Thorne back to Majestic.

"Thorne, we thought you for dead." DeMarco said.

"Spartans never die, sir." Thorne responded. "This is Blue team."

"We can skip the introductions and get to the plan as we have limited time." Washington said, "Korra, if you will so kindlyinform them our situation."

"Yeah, well…this is going to sound a bit crazy." Korra began. "Not only do we have to get inside that fortress and beat the soldiers in it…I have to go inside the portal."

"Inside the portal?" DeMarco asked.

"For what?" Tonraq added.

"To stop Vaatu…the spirit of darkness from being freed." Korra replied. After the Spartans began strategizing for the imminent battle, Korra walked towards Mako and the others. "Do you think we can do this?" She asked.

"We wouldn't be here if we didn't think so." Mako replied.

"We are with you all the way." Asami added.

"And besides, it doesn't hurt having super-soldiers in our team." Bolin said. Korra smiled and turned towards her father.

"I'm proud of you, honey." Tonraq said hugging his daughter. Spartan teams Blue and Majestic finished strategizing and walked towards the New Team Avatar.

"I hope you're all ready." Washington said as he reloaded his Battle Rifle. "Tonraq, are your men ready?"

"Yes." Tonraq nodded.

"We also have a lot of stolen mecha tanks ready for use!" Varrick stated coming towards them.

"Mecha tanks? Where did you get them from?" Asami asked.

"Oh you know…military stations, patrols….warehouses?" Varrick replied. "Anyway, we also got a handful of those fancy Scorpion tanks thanks to team Majestic over here."

"We can drive them through the fortress's walls and give you enough time to find Unalaq and get inside the portal." Madsen said.

Korra looked at the sky above them, the grey clouds began twirl and darken. "We have to go, now." Korra said.

Tucker, DeMarco, Madsen, Grant, Hoya, Caboose and Thorne hopped aboard their tanks and readied them. "We'll see you on the other side!" Thorne said. The tanks roared and moved towards the light in the horizon, the spire portal.

Korra and the others then got ready; they got inside the pelican and prepared to strike from above. The Scorpions and mecha tanks moved steadily towards their objective. "Alright guys keep them steady and fire once we have the walls on sight." DeMarco said.

"Why are there six pedals in this thing if it only moves in four directions?" Tucker asked over the radio.

"I can see the walls!" Madsen said.

"Hold on…!" Thorne replied. "And…now! Fire!" The tanks fired from their powerful cannons at the ice wall of the Northern Water Tribe Army's fortress. The soldiers who were patrolling it were caught by surprise as their wall exploded.

The mecha tanks quickly swarmed inside the fortress smashing anything and anyone still loyal to the Northern army. The hostile waterbenders used their abilities to flash freeze the mechas' treads and halt their progress. But didn't expect the Scorpion tanks literally ramming through the walls and using their mounted machine gun turrets to bring them down. The mecha tank pilots got out and continued on foot, more southern rebels entered through the now destroyed walls to aid in the battle.

Korra's pelican flew above the battlefield; Washington looked down and saw that they were making progress. "We're making a push towards the portal!" Korra yelled through the intense noise of the battle below. "Wash, we are going by foot! You guys keep Unalaq's men from making a counter attack!"

"How?!" Bolin asked.

"I don't know! Throw fireballs or fire your guns from here as Asami flies this thing!" Korra responded, she and Washington jumped out of the flying pelican. Korra quickly bended the airs around her to slow her fall, as soon as she approached landfall she bended the snow into water and that way controlled her fall.

Washington fell into the snowy ground like a missile, making a small crater in the process. "Let's move!" He said. As they moved towards the portal, they noticed that there was a great amount of dark spirits flying around the portal.

"Dark spirits!" Korra yelled, the spirits noticed them out of everybody else as if they could feel Korra. The spirits flew towards them in a rage that Korra hadn't seen before when battling spirits, she noticed that some of them were heading towards the pelican. "Oh no!"

Washington kept firing his battle rifle at the incoming dark spirits but to no avail, the bullets did nothing to stop the corrupted beings. One of them struck Washington hard, making the Spartan fly into a nearby barrack. Korra bended fire at the beasts, trying to keep them away as she ran towards Washington.

"Wash! Are you okay?" Korra asked.

"I'll be fine." Washington responded as he stood up and his shields recharged. But before they could do anything else the dark spirits once again struck Washington hard and grabbed Korra by the legs and arms so she couldn't bend.

"Gah!" Korra grunted, she tried to go into the Avatar State but the spirits quickly overwhelmed her before she could act.

Wash tried to stand back again but saw that a massive brute of a spirit stood in front of him, it was easily 3 feet taller than the SPARTAN-IV. Washington knew he was no match against this being, the dark spirit swung its massive arm at Wash but he dodged it with his enhanced reflexes. He took out his combat knife and went to slice the beast but instead was met with a punch.

The Spartan was knocked down into the ground, his visor had been cracked by the powerful strike and his shields were completely drained and were trying to recharge. Before he could lose consciousness, the Spartan heard an aircraft crash. And then his eyes closed.

Korra's eyes opened and saw that she had been taken inside a tent; she saw her father tied to the central pole of the tent, "Dad…" Korra said.

Tonraq's eyes opened, he was badly bruised. He looked at Korra, whose hair and look had been roughen after her fight against the spirits. "Korra, I'm so sorry…I failed you." Tonraq said.

"No, don't give up. Harmonic Convergence isn't here yet…we still have a chance." Korra replied. She heard the tent's entrance open.

Mako, Bolin, Asami, Bumi and Kya were thrown into the tent, with their hands cuffed. Mako looked at Korra, "We tried…" He said.

"Congratulations everyone, you just got front row seats to see the beginning of a new world order." Unalaq said.

"You don't know what you're doing, Unalaq. Freeing Vaatu won't make you powerful; it will only make you a traitor to all the good things that have happened the past one hundred thousand years." Korra responded.

"You think what Avatar Forthencho was good? Driving all of the spirits away from this world? The Avatar hasn't brought balance only chaos. You call yourself 'the bridge between the two worlds' but there shouldn't be a bridge. We should live together as one." Unalaq stated.

"Even if Vaatu escapes, I'll put him right back in his prison." Korra said with conviction in her voice. "Just like Forthencho did."

"It's true that when Forthencho fused with Raava he tipped the scales on her favor…but this time I'll be here to level the playing field. When Harmonic Convergence comes I will fuse with Vaatu and together we will become a new Avatar…a Dark Avatar. Your era is over."

"Think about what you're doing. I've known that you've always had a strong connection with the spirits but you are still a man! You're still my brother; you are my nephews' father. Are you willing to give up your humanity to become…a monster?" Tonraq asked.

"I would not be more of a monster than your own daughter. The only difference would be while she can barely recognize her spiritual power I'll be in complete alignment with mine. Vaatu and I will be as one. No one will be able to stand against us."

A soldier walked inside a tent, "Sir, Jul has them locked up." The soldier said.

"Excellent." Unalaq replied.

"What have you done with them!?" Korra yelled.

"Your UNSC friends will have what's coming to them." Unalaq then left the tent. Korra tried to untie herself but it was no use, the chains were reinforced steel and she couldn't metalbend yet.

"We have to get out of here." Korra said.

"I'm working on it." Mako responded, he was using his firebending to heat the metal up and weaken it enough to break out. Meanwhile outside the battle scared fortress, within a snow mount came out a blue armored hand.

"I feel like a have cold." Caboose's head came out of the white snow, the Blue member looked around. Destroyed tanks, tents and artillery were all he could see aside from snow and blood. "Uh oh."

He got out of the snow and took out his assault rifle, "Let me remember, I was inside Sheila and I was trying to drive her when I hit the wall." Caboose said as he tried to remember what had happened. "And then this alien with glowing keys started to turn everyone into mush."

He walked towards the still functional artillery, "Oh maybe this thing will help me find Mr. Wash!" He pushed the red button and the cannon fired with a loud bang. "Oh no! That's not a flare!" The missile flew through the chilly air, ripping through several tents and exploding next to the command tent.

The tent shook, the central pole breaking and falling into the ground. Korra's ears ringed from the sound of the explosion, she could barely hear. "What…what was that?" She asked as she recovered from the impact.

Tonraq was freed from his bondage and broke Korra's cuffs off with ice and did the same for the others. "Must've been an artillery shell, someone must be out there." Bolin said.

"Whoever it was just gave us time to stop Unalaq, let's go!" Korra said, "Dad, I need you to go to save others who have been captured."

"I will, be careful." Tonraq said.

"We will go with you." Kya volunteering herself and Bumi to aid Tonraq. The two groups departed for their missions.

Korra and the gang arrived to the portal spire within the spirit forest; it looked so different from before. It looked so futuristic and amazing. "Alright, we go in and get Unalaq while he's distracted." Korra said, the team nodded in agreement. "Just to let you guys know…whatever happens inside…"

"Don't worry, Korra! We will kick Unalaq and Vaatu in the rear so hard that they won't know what hit them!" Bolin stated.

"What he said." Mako added.

"Let's get psyched!" Asami said reloading her DMR. Korra smiled and with her team once again entered the howling dark.

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

General Iroh opened his eyes and quickly tried to stand up only to be stopped by the pain on his chest, "Agh!" He grunted as he felt the stinging on his stomach. The young military genius saw that he was in the middle of a battle. Gunfire and the sound of rocks falling was everywhere around him as he lay on top of a makeshift bed.

Next to him were various injured UNSC Marines and UF soldiers with plasma burns on their bodies. In the corner where the bodies of the fallen, stacked inside body bags, a medic was cataloging each body bag with name tags for identification. The medic, a young woman, was shaking as she wrote each name tag with the names of the dead.

General Iroh tried once more to stand up, but couldn't. The biofoam in his wounds certainly didn't help as the foam artificially stitched each wound temporarily. He saw that some of his injuries were still fresh and hadn't been covered yet.

"General, please don't try to stand up." The medic said, Iroh noticed the patches of blood on her olive green armor. "Your wounds are still fresh."

"I have to get back out there." Iroh replied.

"You're still too weak." The medic responded, "You'll get killed."

"I can't…agh…stay here." He said. Lord Zuko approached them while avoiding bullets and plasma rounds as he got there.

"How are you holding up, son?" Zuko asked his grandson.

"I'll be fine." Iroh responded, "How's the fight?"

"This is our third retreat; we've been trying to take them by the sides while they came in from the front. None of our tactics have worked." Zuko said with a deep sigh, "The UNSC has sent several Spartan teams to help us but that hasn't made this battle any easier. The Captain radioed in a couple of minutes ago."

"What did he say?"

"He wants to MAC blast the entire area."

"That's insane!"

"It might be, but it seems to be the only solution we have to stop the Promethean onslaught outside."

"Promethean onslaught? What about the Covenant army?"

"The ones that remained were called back inside the planet, but they were easy pickings with the Spartans, the Prometheans on the other hand…" Zuko said. "The UNSC Unveiling was shot down an hour ago."

"What?!"

"A Promethean light-based super cannon…it ripped that ship in half. The other ships don't want to get near us." Zuko said. "Luckily enough we have enough strength to keep the Prometheans on this area for now, the other sectors of the city and the province are still safe."

"Good." Iroh was relieved that all of this hadn't been on vain. "And the Avatar?"

"We don't know, her last appearance was inside a stolen Pelican dropship leaving towards the South Pole." Zuko informed.

Buck approached them, his black armor looked wore and grey from the fighting. His blue visor cracked but was nevertheless fit for battle. "Something is happening outside." Buck informed them.

"What is it?" Zuko asked.

"Come outside." The two of them joined the other ODSTs and looked at the Promethean Knights, Crawlers, Watchers and the other bigger variations of Forerunner artificial warriors who were standing…frozen on spot. The Marines and the other UF benders aimed their guns and fists at them.

There were at least one thousand Prometheans facing the 530 UNSC/UF soldiers, in between them was a no-man's land riddled with ashes, bones and dead bodies. The tight quarters ensured the Prometheans were big targets for turret fire and rocket launchers but for each Promethean killed 4 humans were exterminated from Lightrifle fire or something worse.

But now they were standing idly looking at the sky, "This is odd." Zuko said. "What are they looking at?"

"My bet is on the light show." Dutch pointed at the sky, there was a massive light beam that stretched across the dark night sky. The light beam showered the entire planet with energy, turning its atmosphere purple in color.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

"What the hell?" Lasky couldn't believe his eyes. "Did that just happen?"

"There has been a massive power output on both of the planet's poles sir." One of the bridge officers said.

"The poles…this has happened before, when Korra opened the southern portal." Lasky said opening a hologram of Requiem and looking at it. "Its energy outputs were remarkable, now both of these portals are giving out enough energy to power a planet like Earth and three fleets of two hundred ships for…eternity."

"Thinking this has something to do with Halsey?" Palmer asked.

"Possibly…" Lasky replied as he looked at the map. "Palmer, I want you and Fireteam Jaeger to go planetside."

"Finally." Palmer said. "Our orders?"

"Go to the southern pole and get inside that portal. If you find the Avatar there, save her. If you find Halsey there…you have my permission to use the scorched earth policy." Lasky said.

"As you say, Captain."

* * *

><p><strong>The Spirit World<strong>

Korra and company entered the Spirit World through the portal; there they saw a multitude of Elites and Grunts standing before Unalaq and an enormous Elite. They quickly hid behind some rocks to avoid detection.

"Oh man…what are we going to do now?" Bolin whispered.

"Shh…" Korra replied.

"[In Sangheili] MY BROTHERS! LONG HAVE WE WAITED FOR THE KEY TO DESTROY HUMANITY AND THE HERETIC ARBITER AND HIS ALLIES! WE HAVE FINALLY FOUND SUCH KEY! THE SPIRIT GOD CALLED VAATU!" The enormous Elite yelled at the other Elites which cheered loudly.

The Elite turned towards Unalaq and nodded, Unalaq smiled. "Bring in the prisoners." He said, the golden armored Elites brought in Washington, Thorne, Tucker, and DeMarco towards the enormous Elite.

"I knew you were a sack full of shit, Unalaq." Thorne said as he was force to kneel.

"Your people have brought chaos to my world, Spartan. Unlike you I will be hailed as a hero!" Unalaq responded. "Jul, you front stage."

Jul 'Mdama took out his energy sword and brought it life, its plasma blades asking for blood. "Demons, prepare for oblivion."

"He's going to execute them." Mako whispered.

"We have to do something now." Asami added. Korra knew this and knew that there was only want thing to do.

"Step back." Korra told her friends, they did. Korra's eyes glowed white. The Elites began to cheer as 'Mdama raised his energy sword and prepared to decapitate his first victim, Thorne. But then the Elite rebel leader felt a disturbance and he stopped his arm just before it could touch Thorne's bare neck.

The gravity around them began to warp, the Elites were forces to the rocky ground, Jul felt as if something invisible was about rip his whole muscles, and skin off his bones. Korra then walked out of the rocks calmly as both of her hands were turned into fists.

"THE LIBRARIAN'S CHAMPION!" 'Mdama yelled. "YOU SAID SHE WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM!"

"Dammit!" Unalaq grunted as he bended two ice daggers around his arms and rushed towards Korra but was then stopped once his legs were trapped in solid earth.

"_Your actions against order have been judged, Unalaq of the Northern Water Tribe._" Thousands of voices came out of Korra's mouth, the voices of all of the previous Avatars. "_And you have been judged as guilty, and the only punishment for such crimes is death._"

Unalaq felt his body being squeezed out of air, "Gah!" He yelled in agony.

"This is…this is messed up!" Bolin said.

"We can't stop her; if we even get close we will get crushed." Asami responded.

"What do you mean? Korra will never do that to us!" Bolin replied.

"Right now that isn't Korra, bro. Remember back in the Librarian's hideout? When she was trapped inside that light with the Master Chief months ago? The same thing happened; her Avatar State was amped up." Mako stated. "I've noticed it, she can go normally into it but moments like these…she has no control over it."

"Then who's in control?"

"The other Avatars." Mako said.

Korra stood in front of an agonizing Unalaq, on her hand was a fire dagger. The Spartans were left speechless as they witnessed this except for Washington who was looking at his locks. They were plasma based, but it seemed that Covenant metal made up the cuff areas going around his wrists. And if he knew something about the Covenant is that they made cheap metal, he pulled on hard enough and broke the suckers right off. He was free now, "Korra!" He yelled at her but got no response. "Shit, kid you gotta help me here."

"What do you want me to do?!" Thorne responded, Washington helped him with the cuffs.

"There is little time for the Harmonic Convergence to begin, I need you to stay here and keep everyone safe while I go where we were held and pay someone a visit."

"All right." Thorne agreed. Korra brought her fire dagger into the air and prepared to end Unalaq when she felt something powerful. The two portals then pulsated an immense power outburst into the sky and bended until they touched and became one.

"_**Raava, isn't it fantastic when you use power to subjugate others into your will? Isn't it intoxicating?**_"

A powerful lightning bolt struck Vaatu's prison and wave of powerful energy swooped around the Tree of Time knocking everyone off their feet. Korra was pushed off the Avatar State and saw what she had done; her breath began to speed up once she saw the figure in front of her and everyone.

The Elites kneeled, Jul laughed while Unalaq recovered his breath but still smiled triumphantly.

"_**There are those who said this day would never come…what are they to say now? Hahahaha!**_"


	16. Journey's End

**Spirit World**

Korra stood in front of her true ancient foe, Vaatu, who had been freed from his timeless prison. The dark spirit laughed as Unalaq and Jul stood beside it. "What the hell…" Madsen said as he saw the oddest thing in his life. Actual spirits and monsters…he didn't know how to soak it in…any of them.

"_**Harmonic Convergence is upon us once again.**__"_ Vaatu said.

"I won't let you fuse with Unalaq, you are going right back into that prison!" Korra responded. Unalaq looked at Jul and the alien nodded. Vaatu went to fuse with the Chieftan of the North but it was quickly stopped by Korra who threw at it a giant fireball.

The Elites and Grunts proceeded to open fire at Korra but Bolin bended a rock wall in front of the Avatar to shield her from the plasma bolts. "Open fire!" Bolin yelled, Asami fired her DMR and Mako fired his lightning bolts.

Thorne had just finished freeing Majestic squad, "Sir, orders?" Thorne asked DeMarco.

"We have to get armed!" DeMarco replied. Then they looked at the Covenant firing at the rock wall. "Take their weapons, go!"

The Spartans ran towards some nearby Elites and assassinated them with their titanium-a combat knives while their backs were turned. The IVs took the plasma rifles and entered the fray providing additional support to Team Avatar.

Korra used her airbending to hurl Unalaq away into the material world and push Jul out of the way. "This shall not end, human! While this occurs we still have a back-up plan!" Jul exclaimed and ran off.

"Mako, Bolin! Go and hold Unalaq off until Harmonic Convergence is over!" Korra ordered them.

"Yeah!" Mako agreed and ran with Bolin back to the southern portal.

"Vaatu!" Korra yelled entering the Avatar State, Vaatu angrily flew towards the Avatar and the two clashed.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile somewhere else, Washington found what he had been looking for. Indeed there was an UNSC friendly tag here in the Spirit World, inside a Forerunner structure built inside a spirit tree in the wilds. The former freelancer walked in quietly, not wanting to alarm those inside.<p>

Nothing, Washington saw nothing as looked through the gateway entrance. It looked like a small lab of some kind that was connected by cable through a portal. The Spartan then heard muffled screams; he walked towards the sound and found a small girl in airbender clothes inside a Forerunner holding cell. Washington placed his hand on the opening panel and the door opened allowing him inside.

He took the tape off the girl's mouth, "You have to stop her!" She yelled.

"Hold on, stop who?" Washington asked as he untied the young girl. "What are you doing here?"

"I was captured when I came here with the Avatar some days ago! They had been taking samples…from my spirit to power their machine!" The girl said.

"Spirit? Machine?" Washington asked.

"She went through that portal, they said something about a Librarian and that they were going to wake her up with spiritual energy." The girl informed.

"Who is this woman that experimented on you?"

"On her badge it said 'Halsey'."

"The doctor…" Washington said turning around, "You better run out of here, there is a battle happening nearby."

"I know I can feel it…"

Washington walked towards the portal, but then he heard a transmission…a radio transmission.

"This is Commander Palmer of the Infinity; we are approaching your location over."

"Palmer? The Captain must've order her to come and help Korra." Washington said.

"I have to go there!"

"No, it's too dangerous for you…" But once he turned to see the little girl, she had vanished. Wash shook his head and faced the portal once more. "Time to bring you back, doc."

* * *

><p>He stepped into the portal to find himself inside Requiem, in the chambers of the Librarian's machine. There were at least three Elite Zealots guarding someone, Washington hid and took out his battle rifle. He could see the other members of Majestic and Blue there tied up; Grant, Tucker and Hoya.<p>

"This is treason, doc! The Captain will not let this go without consequence!" Grant yelled at Halsey who was guarded by the Zealots.

"You wouldn't understand, I'm doing this for humanity." Halsey responded as she placed a canister full of light into the center of the Librarian's machine. Washington quietly stepped towards Tucker and began to set him free.

"Listen, once I untie you I need you to kill the Elite to your right and I'll take the one to our left." Wash whispered. Madsen nodded in agreement. Washington broke the plasma cuffs and freed Tucker who quickly stood up and jumped onto the Elite's back.

Washington bashed the other one with his body knocking it down making the alien's energy shields flicker. He unleashed a full clip of bullets into the Elite's head, breaking its shields and killing it. Tucker was having a bit of trouble with his target, but was able to bring it down through CQC. He then brought his energy sword into its exposed neck.

"It's over, doc." Washington said, "You have to return to the Infinity with us."

"I can't! The secrets of the Librarian are almost ours!" Halsey said.

Tucker freed the Majestic members; Washington went to Halsey but then heard a roar. From the teleporter stood Jul 'Mdama and Gek with energy swords at hand. "Human!" Mdama yelled, "Restrain them!"

Then two Hunters appeared from the shadows and bashed the Spartans into the ground, before Washington could stand up he was grabbed by the neck by Mdama. "Witness the return of a goddess, human! This will be the last thing your pathetic eyes will ever see." The alien leader stated.

Halsey opened the canister full of light spirit energy, the energy quickly got out of thy cylinder and into the Forerunner machine. The blue lights turned golden as the machine hummed into life, "Now, to learn the secrets of the gods." Jul Mdama said dropping Wash into the ground and walking towards the reawaken machine. But before he could enter it, Halsey ran pass him and jumped into the machine. "No!"

Halsey entered stasis within it. Furious, Mdama went to get her out but an energy shield prevented him from touching the mother of the Spartans. "GAARRAAAAAAAAA!" Mdama roared angrily.

* * *

><p>In the Spirit World, Korra battled with Vaatu, the dark spirit was struck with all of the elements with Korra in the powered Avatar State there was little that could stop here. Vaatu flew around, avoiding the incoming boulders and fireballs.<p>

The Spartan-IVs and Team Avatar took cover behind some rocks as they fought against the Covenant in the area. "Asami, help me with these Grunts!" Thorne asked. Asami with great precision killed all of the Grunts herself with her DMR. "Nice."

"I learn quickly." Asami replied.

Korra began to get the upper hand against Vaatu who was still weak, and imprisoned him inside a ball composed of all the four elements. "_You're a going back to your prison, Vaatu._" Korra said as she pushed Vaatu back towards the Tree of Time.

* * *

><p><strong>South Pole<strong>

Meanwhile in the South Pole, Mako and Bolin looked for Unalaq who had been thrown out of the Spirit World by Korra. "You think he's around?" Mako asked.

"I hope not." Bolin replied, they heard footsteps coming from the spirit forest surrounding the portal. "I don't like this, bro."

"Just keep your guard up and eyes opened." Mako said. The brothers circled around the portal spire, always watching their surroundings. "I don't like this one bit."

"Uh…Mako…" Bolin said.

"What is it, Bolin?"

"Do tsunamis happen in the south pole?"

"What? Of course not why would you…" Mako turned to see what Bolin was talking about and saw an enormous wave of water coming towards them, "Duck!"

Bolin made an earth dome around them, covering them from the impact. The water slammed the dome, cracking the tough earth and breaking through. The brothers were caught by the powerful tsunami attack and were left unconscious on the snowy ground.

Unalaq walked towards the portal with a victorious smirk on his face, "Now that's this is done I can continue with the beginning of a new age." He said stepping into the portal.

* * *

><p><strong>Spirit World<strong>

Korra was about to put Vaatu back in his prison when she was struck on the back with a water whip, taking her out of the Avatar State and releasing Vaatu. Korra stood back and saw that she was surrounded by Unalaq and Vaatu.

"Time to end this." Unalaq said, bending the water from the nearby rivers and wrapping Korra with it, Vaatu charged up his spirit laser blast and blasted Korra with it. She screamed in pain and fell on the ground groaning in agony.

Unalaq walked towards the old dark spirit, "Now!" He yelled, the dark spirit fused with the chieftain of the north. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Unalaq could feel the rush of dark power speeding through his mortal body.

He made his way towards the portal and placed his hand on it, using the energy of the convergence to permanently fuse with Vaatu. "AHHH!" He screamed as the immortal energies of Vaatu became his. The light emitted from the fusion blinded the Elites and humans who were fighting nearby.

"No…" Korra said witnessing the creation of something of great power. The smoke cleared and Unalaq stood triumphant.

"We are now one." Unalaq said with red eyes signaling the birth of the Avatar of darkness. "Now a new era begins and I will lead it as its new Avatar!"

"Well I'm the old Avatar and my era is not over yet!" Korra responded entering into the Avatar State. Unalaq grunted angrily and also entered his equivalent of the Avatar State and rushed towards his niece in blind fury.

* * *

><p><strong>South Pole<strong>

Mako and Bolin regained consciousness, "Agh…what happened?" Bolin asked.

"We got knocked out by Unalaq, we have to go back!" Mako responded, they stood up and ran back inside the portal.

* * *

><p><strong>Requiem<strong>

Mako and Bolin found themselves inside a Forerunner structure, the very same one where Korra and the Master Chief had been contacted by the Librarian. "Where are we?" Bolin asked, but he was hushed by Mako after he heard voices nearby.

The brothers slowly tip toed towards the direction of the voices, there they found Washington and the other Spartans being held captive by Mdama and a handful of Covenant Hunters and an old lady trapped inside the same energy field Korra had been trapped in before obtaining the improved Avatar State.

"Bro, they have Wash and the others." Bolin said.

"I know…and you can't bend without any earth around and I can't take them all alone." Mako said, "But I have an idea."

"What is it?"

"Lightning. I will distract them and you get everyone out and…you hear that?" Mako said as loud footsteps were heard coming from the direction they had come from. Bolin was grabbed by the back of his shirt's collar and held in the air.

"Oh boy…" Bolin said as he saw his reflection on the blue visor of the Spartan holding him.

"What are you kids doing here?" Commander Palmer said, "Why aren't you with the Avatar?"

"Commander Palmer? We came here to help Korra fight her uncle…it's a long story but there are two hunters and an elite in the next room keeping some of your people hostage." Mako explained.

"You can tell us what's happening later, we have some Spartans to save. Fireteam Jaeger lets go." Palmer said letting Bolin go and running towards the Librarian's room.

"Let's go Bolin." Mako said.

"Can't we let the big super soldiers handle this?" Bolin asked not wanting to get shot at again.

"No, let's go."

They followed the Spartan who were already engaging the Covenant; the Majestic and Blue members took cover since they were still cuffed with the plasma cuffs. "I'm going to help the Spartans," Mako said, he saw a plasma rifle on the floor; "You keep the fire on the hunters and don't get disintegrated."

"Right." Bolin understood.

Mako ran towards the Spartans who were taking cover, "Need help?"

"Mako! As a matter of fact yes, take these cuffs off us." Hoya said. Mako used his firebending to melt the metallic connector between the plasma but it wasn't enough.

"Um…I'm going to short circuit the device with electricity, it might hurt." Mako said.

"Just do it." Washington said.

"END THEM!" Mdama said as he stood behind the hunters. The hunters kept Team Jaeger behind cover, Palmer noticed Halsey inside the energy shields and being held in place by the Forerunner machine.

"Let's take them down!" Palmer said coming out of cover and running towards the hunters with the other Spartan IVs. They all jumped onto the big alien and began ripping the worms that the hunter was made of, the hunter fell on the ground dead on a pool of orange blood. The other hunter swung its gigantic arm shield to catch one of the Spartans but the swift super soldiers avoided the attack.

Bolin was still firing with his plasma rifle at the hunter, distracting it while the Spartans ripping the protection armor of the hunter off its weak areas. As soon as it was, an energy sword slashed through the orange weak spot of the hunter bringing it down. Mdama and Gek were the only ones left, two Covenant soldiers against an entire team of Spartans.

Mako freed Majestic, "Good job Mako, now…" Washington said, "To end this."

"Hold it Washington, this is my mission." Palmer stopped him. "I got orders to terminate Halsey."

"What? You can't, she has knowledge that we need!" Washington responded.

"Orders are orders, Spartan. As soon as she leaves that stasis field, she's dead." Palmer insisted, "But before that we take care of Mdama."

"Grr…" Mdama grunted. But then Gek got a message from the elites in the Spirit World, he listened to it and turned to his leader.

"Sir, the human chieftain has done it. He has fused with the dark god." Gek informed them, and Mdama laughed.

"Stupid humans! You have already lost…" Mdama stated.

"Unalaq…that means…" Mako said, "We have to help Korra!"

"Not while Mdama still breaths!" Palmer responded.

"Not while the soldiers of the living god have something to say about it, human." Mdama said as Promethean Knights teleported to protect him, the stasis holding Halsey died down and she was freed from it. Mdama quickly grabbed her.

"She's out! Attack!" The Spartans rushed towards the Prometheans, Palmer took out her pistol and in a moment when it seemed that time slowed down she pointed her magnum at Halsey and fired. The bullet flew through the air and struck Halsey on the right shoulder.

"Ahhh!" Halsey screamed as she was taken by Mdama and Gek to safety through the portal back to the Spirit World.

"Fall back!" Palmer ordered. The Spartans and the two brothers ran back towards the exit portal towards the South Pole while they were followed by a horde of Prometheans. Mako and Bolin followed the Spartans in back since they couldn't run as fast as the Spartans.

"Run faster!" Bolin yelled.

"What do you think I'm doing!?" Mako responded. But before they could reach the exit, the walls shifted and they were pulled into the wall, it closed after they were pulled in. They fell into a small room, it was similar to the description of the ODSTs findings in the Flood facility in the Cavern of Discovery in Republic City.

"Trapped, we can't bend our way out the metal is too tough." Mako said.

"Hey bro, look at this." Bolin pointed at a nearby hardlight console. "Looks like control panel or something."

Mako looked at it and placed his hand on top it and a screen in front of them came to life. "RECLAIMERS." A robotic voice greeted them. Bolin could hear the banging from the Knights trying to get in.

"YOU HAVE CONTACTED ME WITHIN MY HOME."

"Who are you?" Mako asked.

"I AM HE WHO BROUGHT THE TRAITOR DOWN AND WAS THE LAST ACHIEVEMENT OF THE FORERUNNERS. I AM DESIGNATE OFFENSIVE BIAS."

"What do you want with us?"

"I HAVE FELT THE PRESENCE OF AN ANCIENT FREED, AND NOW I FEEL THAT OF TWO."

"One of them must be Vaatu." Mako said, "What about the other one?"

"THE ONE FIGHTING USING LIGHT, RECLAIMER." Offensive Bias replied, "THEY ARE ANCIENTS, BEINGS PREDATING THE FORERUNNERS AND HUMANITY. THE ONES WHO GAVE MY CREATORS AND YOUR PEOPLE SHAPE, CONCIOUSNESS AND FREEDOM….THE RACE THAT BANISHED SO LONG AGO."

"Older than the Forerunners?" Bolin asked, the Prometheans began to break through the gate entrance to the room they hid in. "How is that possible?"

"Offensive Bias…we need you to help us get out of here!" Mako said.

"I WILL COMPLY." Offensive Bias replied opening another gate to the left of the brothers. "FOLLOW THIS EXIT AND YOU WILL FIND YOUR EXIT."

"Thank you!" Bolin thanked the ancient artificial intelligence as he and Mako ran down the hall leaving the AI alone once more.

* * *

><p><strong>Spirit World<strong>

"Take cover!" DeMarco yelled as the amount of earthquakes that shook the rocky ground from the titanic battle between Korra and Unalaq. The remaining Covenant troops which were just Grunts and Jackals hid as the ground shifted and shook.

Unalaq, even without the power to bend the other three elements, was giving Korra's ascended Avatar State a fight. The power of darkness within him was enough to battle Korra's gravitybending and enhanced bending attacks.

Korra's fireballs and earth attacks were blocked by Unalaq's water shields and ice spikes. Korra bended the gravity around Unalaq and forced him into the ground but he held his form and bended a powerful water attack hitting her on the side of her torso. She was mad, Korra airbended a tornado around Unalaq and threw him into the northern portal and followed.

Asami and the Spartans regained composure, "We have to follow her!" Thorne stated.

"You're crazy!?" Madsen responded, "We are no match against them!"

"Doesn't mean that we have to leave Korra to fend for herself!" Thorne said.

"Madsen is right, Thorne…we would get slaughtered." DeMarco told his soldier. "Especially now that the Harmonic Convergence is going on."

"Hey guys, there are more Spartans coming our way." Asami said pointing towards the coming Spartan IVs.

"Is that Jaeger squad?" Madsen asked.

"Looks like it...and the others." DeMarco said. "Commander Palmer, what are you doing here?"

"Captain Lasky sent me to protect the Avatar and terminate Halsey." Palmer responded, "We were about to get to Mdama and Halsey but were attacked by Knights."

"Kill Halsey? The Captain isn't one to order those kinds of orders." DeMarco replied.

"Order came from the top." Palmer said, "I saw your friends on our way here."

"You saw Mako and Bolin?!" Asami asked.

"They were with us but we lost them on our way here."

"Then where are they?"

* * *

><p><strong>North Pole<strong>

Mako and Bolin found themselves walking through the northern portal spire, "Okay…snowy tundra…again." Bolin said.

"Doesn't look like the South Pole…must be the North Pole." Mako said noticing the different area they stood in. "Look!" Mako pointed at Unalaq and Korra fighting nearby.

"It's Korra! She's fighting Unalaq, we have to help!" Bolin said.

"Let's go!" Mako agreed running towards the two fighting Avatars. Korra was hit hard by Unalaq into the snowy ground, Unalaq quickly stomped the ground and cracked the frozen ice beneath the snow cracking it open. Korra fell into the crack.

"Gah!" Korra grunted as she fell into it, "No!"

"Give in! Your time is over!" Unalaq yelled as he bended the ice back into place starting to crush Korra. Korra felt her body being compressed, she began to panic.

"_Korra…Korra…don't give up. Don't give in into onehundred thousand years of darkness._" The voice of Raava spoke to Korra. She knew that she couldn't give up, she couldn't fail everyone…her eyes glowed once more with power.

Unalaq was blown away by a powerful punch of ice that broke through the ground with Korra floating using an airbending tornado. "_You cannot win!_" Korra using Raava's voice came back to the fight. Mako and Bolin kept running towards them but stopped one Korra entered the fully powered Avatar State.

"Okay…not getting close to that fight." Bolin said.

"We gotta help! Bolin earthbend the ground to distract Unalaq!" Mako said, Bolin nodded but before Bolin could earthbend Unalaq turned his head to look at them. "Oh oh…"

The snow below the brothers moved and threw them away like toys, Korra saw this and angrily attacked Unalaq.

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

At the city that once was the capital of the Southern Water Tribe lied in ruins with Scorpion tanks rolling through several ruins of buildings and streets. Oogi flew above the city; passing it…Tenzin couldn't believe the human against human destruction. On the saddle was Pema holding baby Rohan, Ikki and Meelo holding on Jinora's idle body.

They were journeying towards Katara's home to keep her body alive while her spirit was away. Oogi arrived at the White Lotus fortress, Tenzin saw Marines talking to the White Lotus guards at the entrance. Oogi landed and Tenzin and his family hopped off and walked towards Katara's house.

Tenzin knocked and Katara opened, "Mother, hello."

"Oh Tenzin I was so worried from what I've been hearing in the radio." Katara said, "Come in."

"Mother, we need your help. Jinora's spirit is still trapped in the Spirit World…we need your help to keep her body alive." Tenzin said.

"Put her in the spirit water pool." Katara said. Tenzin placed his eldest daughter on the spirit water pool, "She will be fine as long as she remains here…where are you going?"

"I have to help Korra." Tenzin responded.

"But Jinora…" Pema said.

"If we don't stop Unalaq, we will never find her spirit." Tenzin replied exiting the small house.

* * *

><p><strong>Northern Water Tribe<strong>

The fight was nearing its climax, Unalaq was still giving Korra a fight, and she couldn't bring him down. His use of Vaatu's energies was amazing; he was completely in tune with it like he had said. Unalaq noticing an opening in Korra's defense and bended a water grapple at Korra's right arm pulling her down into the ground while he hovered above in a waterspout.

Korra not even phased by the attack, countered Unalaq's attack and used it against him, pulling him down with great strength. He fell down as well, Korra trapped Unalaq's right arm as well with water and began to pull each other with equal power.

The amount of power coming from them shattered the ground below them several times; they both entered their Avatar States and prepared for the final attack. But Unalaq began to smiled wickedly; he quickly froze Korra's hands and began to move his head as a possessed man. Korra saw Vaatu's tentacles coming out of Unalaq's mouth.

Korra had to stop it now, she firebended a big flame attack out of her mouth but was quickly stopped by Unalaq's tentacles diving deep into Korra's throat. Mako and Bolin stood back up from the snow, Mako saw Unalaq attacking Korra with those grotesque tentacles. "Korra!" He screamed in fear.

The dark tentacles began to retract out of Korra's mouth pulling the light right out of Korra's body. Raava was literally ripped out of Korra, Unalaq quickly trapped Raava in a water sphere and smiled after the tentacles got back inside him.

Korra couldn't move…Raava being ripped out of her had drained her of any energy she had left. She could only watch as Unalaq took Raava out of the water sphere and threw her into a nearby boulder hard. He then began to punish the light spirit with water whip attacks, each time hurting Korra in the process. Korra could feel her connection to Raava being severed, as if Unalaq was whipping her with the water instead of Raava.

She could feel the past Avatars vanishing with each strike…until Raava could not hold anymore. Unalaq slashed her one more time, slashing the light spirit in two, destroying it. Korra feinted from the immense pain that she had experienced with Raava being destroyed.

Mako and Bolin were almost there, they quickly grabbed Korra while Unalaq was distracted. The two carried her but then noticed a strange feeling…they could feel everything changing. They turned to look at Unalaq…

Unalaq's body began to change; his entire body began to morph as he screamed in pain. "Gah…! No! You lied…this isn't the power you promised!" Unalaq yelled as he saw his stomach imploding inside of him, his organs being liquefied.

"**On the contrary, human, I am fulfilling that very promise! I am bringing true power back to the galaxy!**" Vaatu's voice echoed, Unalaq's body then began to grow as every human part was replaced with horrible Flood-like appendages. The beast that was now Vaatu looked human in facial features but everything else made him look like a Flood Juggernaut…a Flood pure form. "**Now…one hundred thousand years of darkness begins!**" Vaatu said touching the Harmonic Convergence energies and the skies, creating a shockwave through the ground making Mako, Bolin, and Korra fly through the air and fall hard on the icy ground.

Korra had been defeated and Vaatu headed towards Republic City, where the battle was being fought. There was nothing in his way now to truly bring eternal darkness to the world and galaxy.


	17. Testament

"_**Agonize, Avatar…agonize as your world becomes part of our ever growing union**_**.**" That voice…that horrible voice.

"Why are you doing this!? WHY!?" Korra screamed.

"_**I will tell you our history, Avatar…why we do this. You must know that there is only one truth. That which is done will be done again. For we cannot cease from creating, but the end of all our creation will be to look into a reflection and see ourselves for the first time. The pain we have brought on ourselves. The pain your forefathers caused us. For we are the same. All remember the defiance and destruction.**_

_**We announced to the Forerunners long ago that you were the ones chosen to receive the Mantle, the blessing of rule and protection of life and change that thinks. That blessing was to be yours. But those who defied us could not accept our judgment, could not bear up the decision of human superiority, so they reached out and did what we never expected from those we gave design and life and the change that is thought. **_

_**They drove us from our galaxy, our field of labor. They chased us across the middle distance to another home, and destroyed that home, did all that they could to destroy every one of us. A few were spared. Some adopted new strategies for survival, the Dark Spirit you call Vaatu is the firstborn, the Keeper of the Faith, the Bringer of Light, the First of Many; others went dormant. Others became dust that could regenerate our past forms; time rendered this dust defective. It brought only disease and misery; but that was good, we saw the misery and found it good. Sweet.**_

_**Our urge to create is immutable; we must create. But the beings we create shall never again reach out in strength against us. **_

_**All that is created will suffer. All will be born in suffering; endless grayness shall be their lot. All creation will tailor to failure and pain that never again shall the offspring of the eternal Fount rise up against their creators. **_

_**Listen to the silence. Ten million years of deep silence. And now, whimpers and cries; not of birth. That is what we bring: a great crushing weight to press down youth and hope. **_

_**No more will. No more freedom. Nothing new but agonizing death and never good shall come of it. **_

_**We are the last of those who gave you breath and form, millions of years ago. We are the last of those that were defied and ruthlessly destroyed. We are the last Precursors. And now we are legion**_"

"No…no…"

"_**Vaatu and I, the Precursors and us…We are the Flood. There is no difference. Until all space and time are rolled up and life is crushed in the folds ... no end to war, grief, or pain. In a hundred and one thousand centuries ... unity again, and wisdom. Until then –sweetness.**_"

* * *

><p>Korra opened her eyes; she was inside the Spirit World in a pool of spirit healing water being tended by Kya and Tenzin, Asami was with them. The Spartans were on the background taking a breather from the battle that they just won.<p>

"Agh…my head." Korra said rubbing the back of her head; she turned to see Mako and Bolin inside the spirit pool as well. "Tenzin…"

"Are you okay? Korra?" The old airbender master asked. Korra remembered what had occurred, Vaatu was now free and the world was in its way in becoming a Flood hive.

"I failed…I lost." Korra said as she stood up. Mako and Bolin had recovered consciousness and were being helped by Kya.

"What do you mean?" Tenzin asked.

"Vaatu…he ripped Raava right out of me. I'm…I'm the last Avatar. I'm so sorry Tenzin." Korra said as tears began to fall from her eyes. Thoughts began to race through her head, of what the Gravemind had told her, how Vaatu was going to consume everything. "It's my entire fault!"

"She needs you, now more than ever." Kya told her younger brother.

Meanwhile the Spartans were recovering from their fight. "So now what?" Grant asked. "Shit has hit the fan and we are still stuck in here."

"Radio doesn't work in the Spirit World for obvious reasons. We have to go back to the city." Madsen said.

"There is a pelican waiting for us in the other side of the portal. We can arrive to the city in no time." Palmer stated, "We better get there."

"Wait, what about them?" Thorne asked about Korra and the others.

"We can't wait for them, soldier." DeMarco said following Palmer back to the pelican. Thorne looked back at them and sighed, he followed his squad back to the portal.

"What about us, Wash? Caboose is still out there alone." Tucker asked.

"Oh shit, I forgot about Caboose. Alright, you go back with the others and find Caboose, I'll stay." Washington ordered.

"What?"

"I have to keep eyes on the Avatar, she's still our objective." Wash responded.

"Whatever." Tucker replied leaving with the other Spartans.

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

"What's happening with the robots?" Dutch asked, the Promethean Knights were acting as if a pest had been released, running rampant through the city. The remaining Covenant Storm forces were confused as well.

"I don't like what's happening." Buck replied, looking at the sky. There was an earthquake, several in fact. Similar to what occurred when the Flood was… "Oh shit, everybody prepare!"

General Iroh II and Lord Zuko felt the earth cracking once more; they looked up and saw that the purple skies darken with clouds. Snow fell and thunder cracked, from the horizon over the skylines the immense Sentinel Factories arose. The security protocol of the entire planet had kicked in; a quarantine zone had been established.

"This again!?" Romeo yelled through the loud noise of the rising factories and earthquakes. A beam of power broke through the clouds and crashed into the Yue Bay. The UNSC pelicans and UF airships nearby were shaken by the force of the impact.

Out of the waters surfaced the grotesque form of the giant pure form that was Vaatu, he looked at the skies to see the Sentinel Factories pumping out Sentinels. He laughed as hundreds of Sentinels surrounded him and fired their light based weaponry at him with ill effect. Vaatu swatted them out of the sky like flies.

"**Now my children start your feast!**" He stomped the ground beneath the bay. The soldiers and marines witnessing the attack from the shoreline saw that there was movement coming from below the waters.

Tentacles sliced through the concrete ground and flooded the sewers and pipelines of the city. From every manhole thousands of infection forms began to emerge attacking anything they could sink their appendages into. The marines opened fire at the incoming infection forms while the earthbenders raised walls to halt the speed of the incoming infection forms. They killed many but many more replaced them. They jumped into the soldiers and began their terrible infection.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

"I can't believe this!" Lasky said as he looked at the incoming reports, many incoming with video feed.

"The Flood they are spreading throughout the city." Dr. Glassman said witnessing the growth of the infection.

"How do we contain it?" Lasky quickly asked.

"We…we glass the continent." Glassman replied as he gulped saliva into his throat. "Only complete destruction of the area can stop the rate of this infection."

"Dammit!" Lasky yelled. "Did the security systems kicked?"

"It's similar to the Halos…plus the Promethean faction." One of the crew members stated.

"I want all units groundside to ignore the Covenant and focus on the Flood, we can't lose this planet." Lasky ordered. "God help us that the Covenant will do the same."

* * *

><p><strong>The Spirit World<strong>

"The other Avatars may not be able to help you anymore…but perhaps I can." Tenzin said.

"No one can help me now." Korra responded.

"Back when my father was alive…he told me about the wonders of the Spirit World. How it was connected to the physical world and vice versa. He said that when he was young he was able to tap into his inner self, into his inner spirit. That's how you can stop Vaatu." Tenzin said.

"Haven't you heard anything I've said? Raava is gone. I am not connected to a spirit anymore." Korra replied.

"I'm not talking about Raava, you are not Raava. You are Korra. Come, let me show you something." Tenzin and Korra walked near the tree that held Vaatu in prisoned.

"Why are you showing me Vaatu's prison?" Korra asked.

"Because this tree had a history long before it held Vaatu. This is the Tree of Time and the legends say that its roots hold the physical and spiritual worlds together." Tenzin explained.

"And you think this tree can help me somehow?" Korra asked.

"Yes, I've learned that long ago the Ancients would meditate within this tree and connect to great cosmic energy of the universe." Tenzin answered, they both floated into the tree's opening. It was dark inside of it with the only sight of light being its opening.

As soon as Korra entered the tree, lights began to appear in the dark, images of all of her exploits as the Avatar. "These are my memories…" Korra said looking at them.

"The Tree of Time remembers all." Tenzin added. "Korra, the most powerful thing about you is not the spirit of Raava, but your own inner spirit. You have always been strong, unyielding and fearless."

"Avatar Forthencho…" Korra said as the events throughout Forthencho's life began to appear.

"Before Forthencho fused with Raava, he was just a normal man."

"But…he was so braved and smart…he was a leader. A hero."

"That's right. He became a legend because of who he was not what he was. He wasn't defined by Raava anymore than you are."

Korra then saw Vaatu tearing down the statue of Avatar Aang, "Vaatu…he's in Republic City! He's going to inf…wipe out everyone in it!"

"You have to help them, Korra." Tenzin said.

"How? They're halfway across the world."

"Do as the Ancients once did, connect with the cosmic energy of the universe. Don't bend the elements but the energies within yourself." Tenzin said.

"You really think I can do this?" Korra wasn't too sure about this.

"I have no doubt." Tenzin said. Korra hugged her teacher and mentor.

"Thank you for not giving up on me."

"I'm proud of you." Tenzin walked toward the tree's entrance and exited the Tree of Time to allow Korra to have some space.

Once he did, Korra looked around. "So…" She said, the entrance began to close off. "Wait! No!" It was closed, leaving her trapped inside. "Tenzin! Mako! Anyone!? Help!" Korra screamed from inside the tree.

Korra then heard a small beeping sound; she turned to see what seemed to be a panel of some kind blinking in the dark. She walked towards it, it looked a lot like the portal spires' control panels. Korra placed her hand on it, it began to scan it.

The center of the tree began to glow in a soft blue light…

"DESIGNATE: AVATAR KORRA. RANK: PROTECTOR OF THE HUMAN EMPIRE. ROLE: GALACTIC. WELCOME TO THE TREE OF TIME." A digital voice said to Korra. "YOU HAVE MADE IT, JUST AS THE LIBRARIAN HAD PREDICTED."

"Who are you?" Korra asked.

"I AM THE AI INSTALLED BY THE LIBRARIAN TO SAFEGUARD THIS CONSTRUCT." It answered.

"What is the Tree of Time…for real?" Korra began to see that most old legends about her world were in some way connected to the Forerunners.

"THE GREATEST CREATION OF THE LIBRARIAN AND THE LIFEWORKERS, IT IS CONNECTED TO THE LIVING UNIVERSE." It said.

"Living universe?"

"THE LIBRARIAN BELIEVED IN WHAT THE PRECURSORS CALLED THE CONCEPT OF THE LIVING UNIVERSE WHERE ALL BEINGS, ENERGY AND MATTER WHERE CONNECTED THROUGH THE MANTLE. THAT ALL THINGS WERE ONE."

"Well at least that survived into the legend, how is it connected?"

"WHILE THIS TREE IS A FORERUNNER CONSTRUCT, IT DRAWS ITS STRENGHT FROM THE AMBIENCE AROUND IT. THE PLANE OF EXISTANCE WHERE THIS FORERUNNER CONSTRUCT RESIDES IN IS PRECURSOR."

"Precursor? The Spirit World? How?"

"NOT ENOUGH DATA TO MANUFACTURE AN ANSWER, THE LIFESHAPER WAS NOT ABLE TO STUDY THIS PLACE BEFORE THE WAR WITH THE PARASITE."

"I need to connect to the universe, I need to stop Vaatu!" Korra said.

"THE COMPOUND MIND HELD WITHIN THIS TREE HAS BEEN RELEASED, CORRECT. SIT ON THE CENTER AND PREPARE."

Korra walked towards the center of the tree, and began to meditate.

* * *

><p>Avatar Korra awoke within a space full of stars and galaxies encompassing every direction, she stood on top of a light bridge leading into herself…a giant spirit version of herself. "This must be my cosmic self…" Korra said.<p>

Determined in stopping Vaatu, Korra walked towards it and entered the ball of energy her spirit held.

* * *

><p>The tree's entrance opened…<p> 


	18. The Way The World Ends

**Spirit World**

Korra stepped out of the tree, but…she was cladded from head to toe in armor similar that to the Forerunners. The combat skin around the Avatar has the same texture of a high-ranking Warrior-Servant soldier, similar to that of the Didact's combat skin. It was noticeable because of the floating bits of armor around her shoulders; blue hardlight ran throughout the armor as river.

"Korra?" Mako asked as he and the others approached her. "Is that you?"

Korra nodded and then pointed at the tree, "Its Forerunner." She said as the ground shook and the split apart beneath them. "This is my vessel." An enormous and ancient War Sphinx came out of the ground. Tenzin saw how there were structures beneath the Tree of Time, everything was Forerunner in design.

"You're getting inside this thing!?" Washington commented in awe, the War Sphinx eclipsed anything that the UNSC and Covenant had in terms of mechs or dropships.

"This is a War Sphinx…a Forerunner tool of war." Korra replied as she placed her hand on the metallic exterior of the mech. "I'm going to stop Vaatu with it."

"Do you even know how to use it?!" Mako worryingly asked.

"Right now I am physically and mentally connected to all Forerunner systems across the Spirit World and Requiem…I know everything." Korra dryly responded as she stepped inside the War Sphinx. "The Flood will meet its demise."

She sounded exactly like the Didact, from tone to objective. Somehow being in that tree had also modified her like in the Librarian's Quarters. The titanic War Sphinx came to life as the lights within turned on; it moved its immense body towards the portal storm above caused by Harmonic Convergence. It used it and in a fraction of seconds it was gone.

"This…this was something." Asami said.

"This isn't what I had in mind when I told her to meditate inside the tree." Tenzin explained.

"It doesn't matter now; she is our only hope in defeating Vaatu right now. We better get out of here and get back to the city." Washington said.

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

"All units stand by." The pilot of an AC-220 Vulture communicated. An entire fleet of one hundred air units composed of AC-220 Vultures, AV-14 Hornets, AV-22 Sparrowhawks, F-41 Broadswords and D79-TC Pelicans flew towards Yue Bay from the UNSC airfield base in the Fire Nation. As they flew they were being accompanied by hundreds of Sentinels, Sentinel Majors and Enforcers. "Looks like we have Forerunner support people!"

"Target sighted." A pilot communicated.

"Covenant air units!" Another yelled, from the clouds beyond them an equivalent strike fight team of Banshees, Seraphs, and Vampires entered the fray. "Hold on…they are attacking the target!"

"Focus on the objective!" All of the fighters opened their barrages at Vaatu, while more Sentinels rained down onto the giant.

"**Foolish.**" Vaatu said swinging his arms taking down some Hornets out of the air along with a handful of Banshees. United Forces naval warships appeared in the area bombarding Vaatu with fire barrages.

Buck and his team battled to hold their ground as they were surrounded by Flood combat forms and infection forms. The ODSTs, the surviving United Forces soldiers, the Covenant and Prometheans battled together against the waves of Flood. But as much as they fought they slowly lost ground, as each soldier the Flood killed they gained one more.

"Fall back to rally point delta!" Buck yelled, he turned to the United Forces soldiers. "Make more barricades!" He ordered.

The earthbenders erected a wall of earth in front of them; the Promethean Knights were ripping through multitudes of Flood forms with ease but were quickly being outnumbered once Pure Forms entered the fray.

"We need to keep them back from the safe sector. I want teams in the sewers; I want every water pipe leading to the safe zone shut off!" Buck told the radio operator nearby while they were holed up in a foxhole.

"Sergeant, these beasts are not relenting." Lord Zuko stated as he and General Iroh II approached him.

"Fighting against the reanimated faces of their colleagues are degrading the morale of our surviving soldiers…I don't know how much until we are overrun." Iroh informed. "Most…most of our supplies are being drained, we wouldn't be lasting this long if it weren't for the Covenant and Prometheans."

"Funny isn't it? How a common enemy can unite the most hated of rivals." Zuko commented. "I am just sad that it had to be something this horrible to unite us."

"It might just be temporary." Buck replied, "There isn't much we can do but protect the safe sector. I already have teams holed up in the sewers…they said that there were several hobos living down there holding their ground against the Flood."

"Republic City's inner city, good folk." Zuko said. Then ten drop pods fell from the sky bypassing the Sentinel Factories and clouds. Out of them came out Spartans ready to help.

"Spartans!" A United Forces soldier shouted in joy upon seeing the armored super-soldiers.

"Spartan fireteams Sabre, Crimson, Fenrir, and Talon ready to support, sir." Spartan Yuang of Crimson said.

"Get to work Spartans; we need to hold the Flood from taking another step." Buck said.

"Understood!" The Spartan IVs responded and went into the frontlines.

"Our chances still look pretty slim." Romeo said as he jumped out of his sniper nest. "My sniper rifle is doing nothing against those things, Gunny."

"Here." Buck handed him his shotgun, "This is going to get uglier before it gets any better."

Out in the bay, the UNSC/Covenant/Forerunner fighters still battled the gigantic Vaatu, who ignored them while he started to enter the city.

But then he felt her, as if the ancient foe had once again returned. Vaatu turned towards what once was Avatar Aang Memorial Island and looked at the sky. The sound of the mechanical leviathan that hasn't been heard in more than one hundred thousand years. "**It seems that destroying your link to the spirits and your pride wasn't enough.**" Vaatu said.

The ancient War Sphinx descended from the dark clouds piloted by Avatar Korra who had recently discovered this ancient war machine beneath the dirt of the Spirit World.

"You will meet your end here, parasite." Korra responded. The War Sphinx matched the terrifying Flood Gravemind Vaatu in size and aggressiveness.

The pilots of the human and Covenant fighters recoiled upon the sight of the War Sphinx and retreated away from the scene. The Sentinels quickly swarmed around the Forerunner war machine noticing as a beacon.

"**You wield the weapons of the Forerunners to fight me? Two war sphinxes merged into two…enough firepower to annihilate a continent. Do you know the power that you wield, human?**" Vaatu asked.

Instead of responding Korra went directly towards Vaatu, ramming him into the vacant city streets near the docks. Vaatu crashed hard into the apartment buildings and warehouses; Korra grabbed him by the 'neck' and hurled him back into the docks. Korra, not wanting to harm much of the city, kept him off midtown.

"How does it feel, Vaatu? How does it feel being overpowered, being thrown around like the piece of garbage that you are by a being part of a race that you slaughtered?" Korra taunted, the right arm of the War Sphinx shifted into a gigantic cannon. "This 100,000 Years War ends now!"

"**Imbecile child.**" Vaatu said, tentacles wrapped around Korra's war sphinx's appendages. The tentacles began to crush the Forerunner metal and hard light, Korra was connected into the War Sphinx mentally and could feel the pain directly.

Vaatu moved his tentacles to throw Korra back into Yue Bay, causing a great wave to wash over the coast of the city.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

"Sir, this is not a joke." Buck's voice sounded from the other side of the comms in the Infinity's bridge.

"No kidding...there is a giant monster fight happening right in front of my eyes, Sarge." Lasky said as he saw the video feeds coming from the planet below. "An immense Forerunner security mech maybe?"

"I don't know sir but it is taking care of that Flood giant." Buck said. "The Spartans are digging in; we are making a push back to the base."

"You know the protocol, Buck. Keep me posted. Lasky out." Lasky said closing the line. He sat on his captain's chair and took a deep breath. He has seen it all now, there were two giants fighting in his screen and it was no movie. "I want all eyes and ears on that fight."

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

"I just got off from talking with the Captain, he is sending more reinforcements." Buck informed his squad as Hornets flew pass over them into the fight, sending napalm runs over Flood lines.

"Dude, there is a literal Godzilla fight happening in the bay and I'm here missing it." Mickey said.

"Settle down, boyo. We have to clear out these parasites before we watch the giant fight." Dutch said reloading his Silenced SMG.

"I'll get the popcorn." Romeo added. "Anyway, is that a mech?"

"Looks like it." Buck answered as they could see the two immense giant's fight shake the ground beneath them. General Iroh walked towards them still feeling the pain in his ribs.

"We are almost to the base, there we can clean any trace of the parasite and settle back in." Iroh informed them. "If it weren't for those things shaking everything around them, I would say that things have quieted down."

"With everything that has happened in these past few months, I think we deserve to leave the fight in more capable hands." Buck stated. "I'm not sure whose hands are though."

Korra used the War Sphinx weapon systems to produce a hardlight sword to come out of the machine's left arm. She swung it to slice Vaatu into pieces but the dark spirit avoided each slice, producing a similar dark and Flood appendage resembling a curved sword.

Vaatu quickly dipped his arm-sword into the War Sphinx's torso bypassing the tough armor of the Forerunner war machine, making Korra gasp in pain. She coughed blood into the console in front of her; she shook it off and grabbed Vaatu's arm blade and twisted it off. She then used his own arm as a club and struck him with it hard.

Vaatu backed off, smiling he began to charge an attack. "**Not only am I part of the growing Flood union, I am still as much a spirit as any other!**" Vaatu shouted, and in a blink of an eye launched a light beam out of his chest. It was made of pure and twisted hard light, the attack hit Korra.

But the Forerunner War Sphinx proved to be strong enough to resist such attack, Korra charged up the cannon on her right arm and fired, it struck Vaatu's attack. Korra needed to destroy him, she needed to avenge all of those who had died because of his doing…she needed to avenge Raava. Korra focused all energy into the cannon, it amplified it greatly and with one pulse it overpowered Vaatu's blast and struck the dark spirit.

Vaatu was sent flying into the waters, hitting a rock mountain just beyond the docks. Korra quickly normalized the War Sphinx's systems and activated its thrusters. The War Sphinx ripped through the bay's waters and went straight towards Vaatu. She held her hardlight sword high and with the momentum from the thrusters ripped right into Vaatu and the solid rock behind him.

Korra moved her left normalized arm of the Sphinx to open the hole she had made into Vaatu with her sword and dipped her hand into it. She quickly tried to look for the thing she wanted most…

"**You are looking for something that is not there, human.**" Vaatu said, grabbing the War Sphinx's head, where Korra was in, and effortlessly ripped it out of the rest of the Sphinx. Vaatu pushed the Sphinx off him and it landed on the sea.

Vaatu ripped the covering of the head off, and exposed Korra in her combat skin. As advanced as the Forerunner armor was, Korra had been harmed by the sudden disconnection of the head from the rest of the War Sphinx. "**Your need of Raava left you exposed, you did not want to destroy me because you still had the hope of finding Raava within me. But it is already too late, darkness reigns supreme this day and the ones to follow.**" Vaatu said.

Korra opened her eyes and saw the red and evil eyes looking at her, she coughed feeling the pressure of the cabin squeezing her rib cage. "I…Its still online." Korra said.

"**What?**" Vaatu didn't understand but then he heard the footsteps, he turned and saw the hard light sword of the War Sphinx cutting off the arm holding Korra. "**AGH!**"

The War Sphinx grabbed Korra, and placed the head back into place. The metals shifted and the hardlight understructure melded back into place. Korra could feel the med systems curing her wounds, the combat skin taking care of her body.

Vaatu began to regrow his hand, he grunted angrily. "I'm not going to defeat Vaatu with strength alone, and I can't use the full power of the War Sphinx without risking the entire city…" Korra said.

The AI installed inside the War Sphinx then uploaded itself into Korra's combat skin, "I am here to assist." The AI said.

"Huh?"

"I am here to assist, Reclaimer. I am the installed program of the previous pilot of this War Sphinx." It said.

"If you're going to help then do it fast." Korra responded.

"Odd…there is a strange reading coming from your bioscans." The AI stated. "You have connected yourself with the tree."

"Yes, that's how I got the sphinx working." Korra said.

"There is a strange power surge going through your nervous system, not readable by the sphinx itself but visible to the combat skin. You...are intertwined with strange forces not comprehendible by this construct."

"What do you mean?" Korra asked, and then it hit her. That vision that she had in the tree, when she was seeing the universe itself…it wasn't a vision…she had activated something within herself. She thought it had been the Sphinx but it was more than that…the tree had amplified her spiritual power beyond comprehension, without the need of Raava. "I know what to do."

Korra went onto the attack once more, as she did she placed the War Sphinx in the AIs control. "I need you to keep me safe while I do something important." Korra told the AI.

"I will do my best, Reclaimer." It acknowledged. Korra closed her eyes, she meditated deeply. Korra felt that power return to her, the so-called living universe of the Precursors once again took shape within her mind.

She slowly opened her eyes, Korra could see Vaatu in front of her but she could also see the space around him warp. She looked at her hands; the combat skin was reacting to the sudden surge of energy passing though Korra. "Open the hatch." Korra ordered.

"But..." The AI replied.

"Open it." Korra ordered once again, the head of the War Sphinx opened allowing Korra to come out of it standing on top of it. This amused Vaatu, he saw it as moment of arrogance and pride.

"**You come out of your armor to face me face to face? A sudden surge of pride overtaking your being, human?**" Vaatu mocked her.

"No." Korra then began to move her arms and body as a waterbender would, moving softly…the waters around Vaatu then began to glow golden. "There is light inside of you, but it was buried deep…but I can find it. I just need to look for the light in the dark."

Vaatu saw the waters literally shining his being, and then he felt it. A bit off light coming from within him. "**NO!**" Vaatu yelled in surprise and fear.

"Raava!" Korra said, jumping back into the War Sphinx. "Total power on target, we are bringing an old friend back."

"Acknowledged." The AI confirmed. The War Sphinx then ran fast towards Vaatu sinking its fist into the dark spirit's chest once more but this time with a location and the guidance. Raava made contact with the metal hand of the War Sphinx; Korra pulled Raava out of Vaatu.

"You're safe now." Korra said to Raava who was now freed from darkness. "Now to end this. All weapons…"

The War Sphinx pointed its dual particle cannons at a still weakened Vaatu, "Establish energy contact…with me." Hundreds of tubes them connected themselves with Korra's combat skin and began to use Korra's own energies.

"GAH!" Korra yelled as the cannons fired a bright beam of light that burned the waters, and air alike. It caught Vaatu, who could feel himself being incinerated by the sheer force of the attack.

Palmer's pelican was flying high above the fight near the city, all aboard could see the lightshow below them. "Woah…" Tucker said in awe. Palmer looked in disbelief at the conclusion of an ancient struggle ending in front of her eyes.

The light beam passed through Vaatu completely, "**GRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….**" Vaatu was no more, wiped out completely by the power of Korra's spirit energy channeled through the Forerunner weapon. The beam of light travelled through the ocean, pass the horizon and then bending upward into space.

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

The entire vessel shook as the beam of light passed next to them, most of the ship's electronics short-circuited as soon as the energy beam passed. "Report!" Lasky barked.

"Decks 10 to 14 report no damage aside from the lightbulbs exploding." One of the naval officers said. "Engineering reports no damage, as well as the med bay."

"Dr. Glassman, did you catch that frequency?" Lasky asked the scientist.

"I did, and you won't believe that energy output that came out of that mech." Glassman said.

"It wasn't the mech Doctor…" Lasky stood up from his chair. "It was Korra."

* * *

><p><strong>Republic City<strong>

Korra breathed, the fight was over. She opened the hatch and came out of the War Sphinx's head. There were still some Flood inside the city, but they were being suppressed and exterminated by the joint forces of the various races.

A pelican flew near Korra, it was Palmer's pelican. Its hangar doors opened, the white armored Spartan-IV was there with her Spartan team. "Damn good job kid." She said.

Korra smiled, she was exhausted. Then she looked at Raava hovering above her, "It's over." She said.

"_Not yet._" Raava said.

* * *

><p><strong>A Couple of hours later<strong>

**The Spirit World**

Korra and her friends stepped through the southern spire portal; she looked now that Harmonic Convergence was almost over. Vaatu had been defeated but there were still two things needed to be done.

Korra stepped next to the tree looking at it; this was the beacon to the past. The past that couldn't be ignored, the combat skin began to shed off her. The plates of the armor falling into the ground, the combat skin had just covered her normal clothes. "_Korra…_" Raava said.

"Let's." Korra replied in a smile. Raava flew towards her, once again becoming one. Korra could feel the presence of Raava once within her once more. She stepped near the portal and touched it, the energies of the Harmonic Convergence once again making their fusion permanent. The light emitted from the fusion was serene.

"So this is how the Avatar was born." Washington said. Korra took a full breath of air, the Avatar was back. After it happened, the Harmonic Convergence was over. The portals separated and the skies of the Spirit World returned to normal, now with the storm gone. The energies covering Requiem also dissipated, returning to the poles.

"The Avatar Spirit has returned…" Tenzin said while looking at his pupil.

"It's over." Korra said. Mako and Bolin ran straight to Korra, with Mako hugging her first and kissing her cheek. Tenzin and the others then approached them.

"I don't even know what to say…really, I don't!" Mako said.

"You were amazing, so Washington told us from the radio feeds." Tenzin added.

"And the way you came out looking like a Forerunner and got inside that giant robot…WOW! I just wish that Varrick had been here to look at it!" Bolin excitingly said.

"Good job Korra." Asami added. Then Korra looked at Washington hanging behind all of them, she walked towards him.

"I guess it's time to finish your mission." Korra said.

Wash smirked, "My original mission was to bring you back to the Major, but since he is gone…and Lasky has ordered me to not to pursue you anymore."

"Heh, good to know." Korra said. Korra and Tenzin walked towards the opened spire portal, and looked at it.

"Now that you are bonded with Raava once again, are you reconnected to your past lives?" Tenzin asked.

"No…I think that link is gone forever." Korra sadly replied.

"I see…why don't you close the portals and we all go home." Tenzin said trying not to make Korra dwell in that thought.

Korra nodded and went to close the northern portal but then stopped, "Maybe I shouldn't." She said.

"What do you mean?" Tenzin asked.

"What if Unalaq was right when he said that there shouldn't be a bridge between two worlds? What if Avatar Forthencho made a mistake in closing the portals? What if humans and spirits weren't supposed to live apart? Well…what do you think I should do?" Korra explained and asked her mentor.

"I think you should trust your instincts." Tenzin said putting his hand on her shoulder. "There is nothing else I can teach you. You are the Avatar, whatever your decision I will support you."

Korra then decided what to do.

* * *

><p><strong>South Pole<strong>

The gang walked out of the portal, "Let's go home." Korra said. UNSC Marines waited for them, the Marines were now deployed to help the surviving units.

* * *

><p><strong>Southern Water Tribe<strong>

**Five Days Later**

Within the palace of the chieftain of the water tribe, Korra had been walking in circles. She was about to give a speech to the people and she needed to remember her lines. "Korra?" Mako called her. "Can we talk?"

"Of course." Korra said.

"About what happened…before you were gone…" Mako said. "We had a fight and…"

"I remember. When Thorne and I were attacked by that dark spirit I lost my memory, but then I kinda got it back." Korra said. "Being inside the Tree of Time made me remember what happened…between us."

"I'm sorry for blowing up at you." Korra apologized.

"It's okay…I think we both said some things that we regret." Mako said. "But when I saw you…coming out of the tree in that armor…speaking like that…I thought I lost you."

"I was consumed by the goals of the Forerunners, I was furious…I guess that after losing Raava I didn't want to lose anything else." Korra said. "But, about us…is it going to work?"

"What are you saying?" Mako asked.

"After all that has happened…it would best…to take a break."

"A break?"

"I'm just…asking for some time. To think things out." Korra said. Mako sighed and smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, and with the things going on around…it's for the best."

"Thanks for understanding." Korra hugged Mako, "Now, to answer the call of the people."

Outside Korra stepped into the spotlight, cameras flashed and people prepared to listen to the Avatar.

"The war of the Water Tribes is over. Unalaq has been defeated, and the Northern Fleet is returning home. The Water Tribes will always be allies, but now the Southern Tribe is independent!" Korra said, the people cheered in joy. Independence to make their own mark in history.

"And the Southern Council of Elders has appointed my father, Tonraq, to be your new chief!" Korra announced. Tonraq came forth, waving to the people and accepting his new role as chieftain.

"I've realized that even though that we should learn from those who have come before us we must also forge our own path…so that's why I decided to keep the spirit portals open. Humans can now freely physically enter the Spirit World and spirits will be free to roam our world. I will no longer be the bridge, humans and spirits must learn to live together. My mission will always be to use Raava's light spirit to guide the world to peace and balance. Harmonic Convergence has caused a shift in the planet's energy, I can feel it. Things will never be the same again. We are entering a new age!"

* * *

><p><strong>UNSC Infinity<strong>

"Ma'am?" Lasky reported in.

"She escaped, Captain…do you realize that?"

"I do, she was captured by 'Mdama when our forces cornered him." Lasky explained.

"Capture? Captain, she was working with the enemy. Now listen, and listen clearly."

"Yes ma'am."

"Dr. Catherine Halsey is now considered an enemy of the UNSC and her allies, and know clearly that whatever she does now on will be on your head, Captain. But for now, rest easy since you will be helping in stopping her. Osman out."

Lasky sat on his seat, "Damn spooks." He said as he looked at Requiem below. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

* * *

><p>The End.<p> 


End file.
